Thoughts on switch from consulting to state government?

I’m considering a move from environmental consulting to state government and would love feedback from anyone who’s made a similar jump or has insight into whether it makes sense given my situation. For background, I’m a licensed PG with about 20 years of experience in the Sacramento area, currently at a large consulting firm earning ~$145k/yr. I’m looking at a Senior Geologist position with DTSC and have a few specific questions:

1. Salary. The position ranges from ~$135k to ~$170k. I’d prefer not to start below my current salary — has anyone successfully negotiated a starting salary above the base step? More broadly, am I effectively capping my long-term earnings at $170k by going this route, and is that tradeoff worth it?

2. Culture. Several peers have warned me I’ll be bored and regret leaving consulting. I work regularly with the Regional Boards and county regulators but have little direct exposure to DTSC. Can anyone speak to what the culture is actually like there? Is it as toxic as its name would suggest?

3. Work-Life Balance. This is my primary motivation. I’m routinely working 50–60 hour weeks and it’s burning me out. Do state employees genuinely work closer to a 40-hour week, or is that largely a myth? I don’t want to trade burnout and good pay for burnout and less pay.

So basically, has anyone made this transition from consulting to government, and do you have any regrets? I’m trying to honestly weigh salary ceiling, job satisfaction, and work-life balance, and figure out whether staying put and accepting the plateau is actually the smarter move. Thanks in advance.