Mayor Bill de Blasio was in the battleground state of Florida this past weekend campaigning for the Bernie Sanders-backed Democratic nominee for governor, Andrew Gillum, but it is most likely the Republican ticket of Ron DeSantis and Janette Nunez that he helped by being there.
Here in New York City, we’re facing record high homelessness, deplorable conditions in city public housing, and a crumbling transit system. Homeowners have also seen a 44% increase in the property taxes since de Blasio took office and now a push to open more homeless shelters, jails and even heroin injection centers in their neighborhoods. It’s no wonder New Yorkers are migrating in droves to less taxed and better managed states in the union, with Florida gaining the most.
United States Census Bureau data shows that the New York metro area saw most of its residents flee to the cities of Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach where de Blasio was campaigning for Gillum. Many others moved to Tampa and Orlando. During the 12-month period ending July 1, 2017, New York State lost a net 190,508 residents, more than any other state due to high taxation, lack of economic opportunity, and affordability. Florida on the other hand gained 327,811 new residents not “because of the weather” as Governor Andrew Cuomo ridiculously suggested last month but because Florida is one of seven states with no personal income tax and has among the lowest tax burdens in the nation.
The tax-and-spend policies of "progressive" politicians like de Blasio and Cuomo who feel the answer to every problem is to spend more and hand their hardworking citizens the bill has earned New York the title of top state and local tax burden and second worst business climate in the nation.
While Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Cuomo continue to push the costly and misguided policies that New Yorkers fled south to escape, Republicans have a record of success to point to. Under Governor Rick Scott, Florida achieved $10 billion in tax cuts, reduced 5,200 burdensome regulations, and the state’s employers created nearly 1.5 million jobs outpacing the rest of the nation. And, despite Florida having more than double the population of New York City with nearly 21 million residents, the state’s 2018-2019 budget of $88.7 billion actually spends $450 million less. While DeSantis promises to continue Florida’s efficient and effective government, Gillum’s agenda includes an extreme tax increase, socialized healthcare and a $15 minimum wage that would stifle Florida’s economic prosperity.
Florida is one of the top three states for inward migration because it is doing something right. On Election Day, voters should reject the same costly agenda that’s made New York unaffordable, overtaxed and it’s people among it’s biggest exports.
Nicole Malliotakis is a member of the New York State Assembly and was the 2017 Republican nominee for Mayor of New York City.