New York Gov. Kathy Hochul called on wealthy residents who have relocated to Florida to return and help support the liberal state’s social spending priorities.
Hochul made the remarks March 11 during a Politico event in Albany, where she was asked about proposals to increase taxes on high earners.
“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.
“Now, there are some patriotic millionaires who stepped up. Okay, cut me the checks if you want to be supportive. But 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.”
The comments come as New York faces pressure from both migration trends and competing tax policies in other states.
“There are some patriotic millionaires who stepped up,” Hochul said, while acknowledging that some residents have left for states with lower tax burdens.
“I have to look at the fact that we are in competition with other states who have less of a tax burden on their corporations and their individuals,” she added.
Florida, which has no state income tax, has drawn a growing number of high-income earners from states such as New York and California in recent years.
The movement accelerated in 2025 as New York City politics shifted following the rise of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who campaigned on higher taxes for top earners and expanded social programs.
Mamdani has proposed policies including free childcare, subsidized transit and city-run grocery stores, along with tax increases targeting wealthier residents.
One proposal would raise income taxes by 2% on individuals earning more than $1 million, while another would significantly lower the estate tax threshold and increase rates.
The estate tax proposal would reduce the threshold to $750,000 from $7.3 million and increase the top rate to 50% from 16%.
Because estate taxes are set at the state level, the mayor cannot enact those changes directly, but his office has circulated the proposal among state lawmakers as part of budget discussions.
Currently, only a dozen states and Washington, D.C., impose estate taxes alongside the federal levy.
New York’s threshold sits near the middle of that group, though the proposed changes would make it the lowest in the country.
Hochul has pushed back on broad tax increases while still seeking revenue to fund social programs.
She has said the state should avoid raising taxes solely for the sake of increasing revenue.
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“I need people who are high net worth to support the generous social programs that we want to have in our state,” Hochul said during the interview, reiterating concerns about losing residents to lower-tax states.
The governor has instead urged city officials to identify cost savings. She has proposed covering approximately $1.5 billion in city program spending for two years, along with additional funding for childcare initiatives.
Mamdani has pointed to a projected $5 billion budget gap as justification for increased taxes and state assistance.
The debate has drawn criticism from Republican officials and candidates, who argue the state’s tax policies are driving residents away.
Nassau County Executive and Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman described Hochul’s remarks as a candid acknowledgment of the issue.
“When you raise taxes, drive up the cost of living, make it harder to do business, and try to destroy families’ savings, people leave,” Blakeman said in a statement.
He questioned whether former New Yorkers would return from Florida. “Palm Beach is lovely this time of year, but I’m not sure former New Yorkers will be eager to trade sunshine, no state income tax, and sanity for the highest taxes in the nation,” he said. “That’s a tough sell.”
Other Republican officials also criticized the state’s policies. Rep. Elise Stefanik wrote on social media that migration trends reflect broader dissatisfaction.
State Sen. Steve Rhoads said the rate of departures should serve as a warning.
“One New Yorker leaves every 2 minutes and 23 seconds,” Rhoads wrote. “That’s not just a number—it’s a wake-up call for Albany.”
State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt also questioned whether residents would return under current policies.
“Can Republicans come back? Asking for the hundreds of thousands who bolted New York because of your high taxes and love for illegal immigrants,” Ortt wrote.
Hochul’s office pushed back on the criticism, arguing that the administration is focused on affordability.
“Governor Hochul is lowering costs, putting money back in New Yorkers’ pockets, and fighting to make New York more affordable,” spokesperson Ryan Radulavacki said in a statement.
The policy debate coincides with changes to public safety proposals in New York City.
Mamdani announced plans to create an Office of Community Safety, which would consolidate several existing programs under a centralized structure.
The office would oversee agencies focused on crime victims, gun violence prevention, domestic violence, hate crimes and mental health.
The proposal is part of a broader plan to build a Department of Community Safety with a budget of approximately $1.1 billion.
Mamdani said the approach would emphasize prevention and coordination rather than traditional policing.
“For too long, we have approached crime and safety by placing only ever-expanding expectations on the police department,” Mamdani said.
“Crime is one of the most complex issues we face, and yet our city’s approach for far too long has been to rely on a patchwork of programs to deal with interconnected problems.”
He said a centralized model would allow for coordinated responses across agencies.
“We must instead pursue a whole-of-government model, one where our strategies are centralized and implemented with coordination and at scale,” Mamdani said.
The announcement follows ongoing debate over policing strategies in New York.
Former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a recent interview that the “defund the police” movement was misguided.
“In retrospect, the whole concept of ‘defund the police’ made no sense,” de Blasio remarked.
He said discussions about improving public safety should have focused on expanding opportunities for young people.
“It made sense to say, ‘How can we do better?’” de Blasio said.
“It made sense to say… ‘We’ve got to do a lot more for young people to give them positive alternatives because that’s good for the police, too.’”
He added that the slogan itself created confusion about policy goals. “So defund was a mistake,” de Blasio said.
