People are Fleeing This Liberal State

New York's absurd liberalism is finally catching up with it. It turns out, people are fleeing the state in droves:

United Van Lines reported Tuesday that nearly two-thirds of the moves involving New York households were outbound, a higher proportion than any other state except New Jersey and Illinois.

The 2016 National Movers Study by Fenton, Mo.- based United also found that almost 59 percent of the moves within the eastern United States were outbound.

Where were people moving? Mostly to western states and the Carolinas, with one exception. That exception was Vermont, which ranked second on the list of states with the highest proportion  -- 67 percent -- of inbound moves.

This is entirely unsurprising. Years back, liberal born on third base Governor Andrew Cuomo said that there was "no place in New York" for pro life, pro-gun conservatives. But pro-life, pro-gun conservatives tend to live in some of the state's wealthier locales and pay a large portion of their taxes; and they're sick and tired of it.

That's not all. New York imposes insane regulatory burdens on small businesses. According to the Tax Foundation, New York has the highest state and local tax burden in the nation, and it ranks 49th in the organization's business climate index. 

Cuomo's response? Instead of a broad tax relief agenda, he instituted a pathetic "Start Up New York" program that's meant to funnel tax breaks to well connected companies that fall within certain Cuomo approved guidelines. While small business and homeowners in New York are buried under an avalanche of taxes and regulations, these out of state companies are offered what essentially amounts to bribes to stay, in the form of tax free zones.   

The results? Not good. As the New York Post reported:

After two years of operation, it turns out Cuomo’s Start-Up New York managed to generate all of 408 jobs. This after spending at least $53 million on promotion costs alone — or nearly $130,000 a job.

Designed to dispel New York’s richly deserved reputation as a business-repelling high-tax state, Start-Up creates tax-free zones for new or expanding companies.

In 2014, its first year, officials said it created all of 76 jobs. Team Cuomo blamed the low number on growing pains. But what was last year’s total? Just 332 jobs. Pathetic.

The gov’s aides say Start-Up’s success can’t be judged by numbers alone. But how else do you judge a jobs-creation program?

And here’s the kicker: Even if the program meets its target figure — 4,000 jobs over five years — that would represent a pathetic 0.1 percent growth in the state’s nearly 4 million private-sector jobs.

Pathetic is right. It's also offensive to the hardworking people of New York who have stuck around their homestate and helped build the economy despite the crippling tax burden. They get no relief whatsoever. So it's no surprise they're jumping ship. 

And what about impoverished upstate New Yorkers? Instead of throwing them a lifeline, Cuomo tossed them a cinder block. First, he banned "fracking," on the basis of a bunch of junk science claims and raising the minimum wage. We also can't forget his insidious war on gun culture. All in all, he's somehow managed to make life more miserable in one of the most miserable parts of the country.

New York city will always be a draw. But in an era of increased workplace mobility, Cuomo's absurd strategies are likely to drive more and more middle class New Yorkers out of the state, creating a climate full of haves and have nots. You're already starting to see this in Bill Deblasio's New York City, where the homeless seem to be returning in droves and people are feeling less safe.

Expect things to get even uglier in the Empire State. 

Source: AAN