New York Governor Kathy Hochul is sounding the alarm—and the message is raising eyebrows nationwide. Speaking on March 11 at the Politico New York Agenda: Albany Summit, Hochul openly called on wealthy Americans to return from low-tax havens like Florida, arguing their dollars are urgently needed to sustain the state’s expansive social programs.
“I need people who are high-net worth to support the generous social programs that we want to have in our state, right?” Hochul said during a fireside chat. Then came the blunt pitch: “Maybe the first step should be to go down to Palm Beach and see who we can bring back home because our tax base has been eroded.”
That erosion isn’t theoretical. It’s already happening—and fast.
A wave of high-income earners has been exiting New York, with Florida emerging as a top destination thanks to its zero state income tax and business-friendly environment. The trend accelerated in 2025 as political uncertainty grew in New York City, where then-mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani pushed a far-left agenda that included steep tax hikes on top earners, free daycare, and even city-run grocery stores.
Kathy Hochul making a weak plea for wealthy people who have left New York (to red states like Florida) to come back to pay their high taxes to fund failing (unaccountable) social programs:
“I need people who are high net worth to support the generous social programs we have in… pic.twitter.com/7quhsFyWyn
— Matt Whitlock (@MattWhitlock) March 18, 2026
Critics say policies like those are driving the very exodus Hochul now wants to reverse.
The numbers back up the concern. A Siena College poll from April 2023 found that 27 percent of New York residents planned to leave the state within five years. Among retirees, that number jumped to 31 percent. The implication is clear: the tax base New York depends on is not just shrinking—it’s packing up and heading south.
Hochul attempted to strike a hopeful tone, pointing to what she called “patriotic millionaires” willing to support state initiatives. “Cut me the checks if you want to be supportive,” she said. But the appeal also underscored a growing tension—how long can high earners be expected to shoulder an increasingly heavy fiscal burden before they simply leave?
This isn’t the first time Hochul’s rhetoric has sparked controversy. During her 2022 gubernatorial campaign, she dismissed political opponents in striking terms, telling them to “jump on a bus and head down to Florida where you belong.” She doubled down by declaring, “You’re not New Yorkers,” framing disagreement as incompatible with the state’s identity.
