Politically Unstable: Socialist New York vs. the free state of Florida

Video

Friday, December 5, 2025

OPINION:

Mayors across America are banding together to implement President Trump’s economic agenda, alleviate the price crunch and affordability crisis they see as a residual effect of Biden administration policies.

Washington Times Commentary Editor Kelly Sadler is joined by Scott Singer, mayor of Boca Raton, Florida and the chairman of the America First Policy Institute Mayors’ Council, to discuss the effort he is coordinating to set cities like Boca Raton apart from high-tax, high-regulation cities.

[SADLER] We saw this past November, socialist, communist, as the president would say, candidate Zohran Mamdani win the mayoral race in New York City. A lot of political pundits have predicted that because of his win and his socialist policies, a lot of New Yorkers who believe in free enterprise will vacate the state and move to Florida. We saw a lot of this movement happen during the COVID-19 lockdowns when a lot of New Yorkers voted with their feet and moved to Florida. Have you seen anything thus far? We know the election was just in November, but have you seen any activity from New Yorkers looking to purchase property in your area?

[SINGER] Yes, we certainly have. Florida and especially Boca Raton have been attracting job creators, investors and families for decades. That’s why Florida has grown to the third-largest state in America, surpassing New York years ago. It did pick up during COVID-19 when people were fleeing high-tax, high-regulation, shutdown jurisdictions like New York and other cities. And the city of Boca Raton has had targeted outreach to job creators and innovators for many years. We actually kicked up our efforts in June and we got quite a bit of media attention because we had the right message at the right time, that we were welcoming businesses, that we have the lowest property tax rate of any full-service city in Florida and a great business climate. We’re a city of about 100,000 people, so we’re not in the top 10 or even top 20 of Florida’s largest cities, but we have the business strength of a much larger city. And we’ve been attracting great companies and now have more than 40 publicly traded corporate headquarters in Boca Raton.

So even after the primary in June, we had companies reaching out to us. We reached out. We increased our efforts after November. In July, we launched a targeted website, NYtoBoca.com, which saw thousands of hits right at launch, inquiries from about 10 businesses in 10 different states within the first week to 10 days, and we’ve continued those conversations. We’ve had steady job infusion here. And just to round out, Kelly, we don’t expect to be able to attract everyone who wants to flee New York and the high taxes and higher taxes that are coming. We’re a fairly built-out city, but we have focused on creating, finding opportunities for people who want to bring corporate headquarters here, job creators and innovators.

[SADLER] Can you talk to me about some of the policy differences between your city and New York City and what is enticing those businesses to relocate?

[SINGER] Absolutely. For those who don’t know, Boca Raton is a beautiful, one-of-a-kind community, a city of about 100,000 people in between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale in the Miami metro area. We’ve got a big business presence, but still a small town charm and great neighborhoods, safe streets, 49 parks, five miles of beaches. The biggest distinction is I think, we value the basics in Boca Raton. We invest heavily in public safety, and where now Mayor-elect Mamdani’s had comments continually critical of the NYPD and police generally, we invest in public safety. We have one of the highest starting salaries for police officers in the nation. We are a Class 1 ISO rated fire rescue system, and we understand that public safety is the base of the pyramid.

That allows us to have a strong business presence, and we value people who want to create jobs. We’re here to enhance business, not tax it, not regulate it, not demonize it. We’ve streamlined more than 20 different processes in the city over the last few years, cut permitting time down 60%-plus, and again have the lowest property tax rate of any full-service city in Florida. And as a third level, that allows the quality of life, the great schools, neighborhoods, partnership with community institutions, philanthropic groups, all of them thrive in Boca Raton. Because we value public safety, we value business. That creates the climate, the economic climate, and the ability to welcome businesses, families, and create a great quality of life. And I think you’re getting a distinction between that and what you’re going to see in New York, which is thinking you can tax the job creators and the rich indefinitely and that they’re not going to flee, that you can have less than full-throated support for public safety and not expect to have a diminution in services.

[SADLER] One of the things that’s always been attractive about Florida to northerners is the low tax rate. A lot of people, my parents included, have relocated down to the state to avoid New York’s high property taxes, income taxes, taxes on pretty much everything. Ron DeSantis, the state’s governor, has recently proposed eliminating the property tax altogether. Boca Raton has a low property tax, but still has a property tax. How do you feel about that proposal? And if it’s eliminated altogether, won’t that put a strain on the city’s budget?

[SINGER] Well, it is a bold proposal to entirely eliminate property taxes in the state of Florida. I think at the local level between states, counties, and school districts and other districts, it’s about $40 billion. It would be very hard to make up that revenue. Any property tax abolition would have to be done over time. Right now, the Florida legislature is considering a number of proposals. None goes so far as abolition. They go about increasing the homestead exemption, which Florida residents enjoy, which not only caps the increase you get year to year, but also stays with you if you sell one property and move to another permanent residence in Florida. They’re looking at different things in the margin. I think ultimately, you’ll see some sort of proposal pass and be put on the ballot for November of 2026, cities and counties will have to adapt.