Taxes

New York Gov. Hochul Begs 'High-Net-Worth' Refugees To Return and Be Taxed

Hochul invited those who opposed her policies to leave. Many did. Now she wants them back.

J.D. Tuccille | 3.23.2026 7:00 AM

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In 2022, Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul urged Republicans to leave the state and move to Florida. Lots of people took her advice, and not all of them the people she wanted to expel. Earlier this month, she was reduced to begging "high-net-worth" former state residents to move back and pay the expensive tax tab to fund her state's spending choices.

It's a rare and glorious sight when politicians shoo those who dislike their policies out the door only to subsequently beg them to return.

You are reading The Rattler from J.D. Tuccille and Reason. Get more of J.D.'s commentary on government overreach and threats to everyday liberty.

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Hochul Directed Political Opponents To Go to Florida. Many New Yorkers Did.

At a campaign rally in 2022, Hochul directed Republicans to "just jump on a bus and head down to Florida where you belong, OK. Get outta town. Get outta town. Because you don't represent our values. You are not New Yorkers."

Florida, notably, has become in recent years an example, along with Texas, of GOP policy frequently contrasted with Democratic jurisdictions and their larger governments.

Message received. Last year, New York's independent Citizens Budget Commission (CBC) reported that "New York City lost 102K residents and their $13.7B in personal income to Florida from 2018-2022 on net." Detailing reasons for the migration, the CBC report noted, "those leaving the region most commonly move to Florida, California,........

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