Get Ready For The New York Exodus!

by: vmars

Tue Mar 31, 2009 at 08:08:04 AM EDT

The NJ  GOP repeatedly whines that any increase in the tax rate for people making lots of money will create an exodus from the state.  If they have to pay another $3000 a year to the state they will give up their homes, short commutes, school systems, their children's friends, etc. even though it is a small percentage of their annual income.

Leaving aside the evidence that previous progressive tax structures have not created a mass movement of rich folks out of the state, let's assume that the Republicans are right about this.  That when a state increases taxes on the rich the rich will run to the nearest border state.

Well, then, good news!  Just in time for the Census count that will determine the number of US Representatives New Jersey gets New York has done us the incredible favor of increasing taxes on people making $300,000 or more a year.

Now we can expect an influx of right Manhattanites crossing the border to buy our McMansions in Bergen, Morris, Somerset and Hundson counties.  No more vacancies as the rich flee New York State!  They'll give up museums, restaurants, Central Park, convenience and everything else they love about the city to move to the burbs and increase their commute from 15 minutes to a hour and a half.

I expect to hear the GOP cheering that our long shrinking population -- which the Census actually says has grown by 271,000 in the past seven years -- will now grow with rich New Yorkers.  Yippeeeeeeee!