George Gibbs Center for Economic Prosperity

Macro Ins⁠i⁠der — Emp⁠i⁠re falls: Flor⁠i⁠da surpasses New York

By: The James Madison Institute / 2014

Macro Insider
“Empire falls: Florida surpasses New York”
December 28, 2014We’re No. three! We’re No. 3!It may well not be the most inspiring claim, but news this week that Florida ultimately surpassed New York to turn out to be the nation’s third most-populous state, behind only California and Texas, is considerable for many reasons beyond symbolic bragging rights.The Sunshine State has been creeping up on the Empire State for various years. Back in 1990, New York had 18 million men and women compared to Florida’s 13 million. That gap closed to just one hundred,000 last year. Right after adding an typical of 803 new residents (compared to New York’s 104) just about every month in the course of the 12-month period that ended July 1, Florida grew by 293,000 and officially reached 19.9 million people today, eclipsing the Northern giant’s 19.7 million. California is nonetheless No. 1 with 38.eight million residents, though quick-increasing Texas remains a distant second with 27 million.Ironically, ex-New Yorkers constitute 1 in ten new Florida residents (migrants from other countries created up about a quarter of this state’s new residents). About 55,000 New Yorkers relocated to Florida in 2013, according to the most current American Community Survey.Florida’s move up the population ladder has tangible benefits. If its position holds for the 2020 census, it stands to obtain at least one particular extra congressional seat. That means additional political influence in the U.S. Residence as well as in presidential elections, as it will get a concurrent boost in electoral votes.In addition, Florida could realize an increase in federal highway spending, which is paid with fuel taxes that are distributed to states according to a formula primarily based largely on population.Most importantly, the boost in population is a sign of a healthier state economy. Though it was hit challenging by the collapse of the actual estate industry in 2007-08 and continues to crawl out from beneath a mountain of home foreclosures, Florida’s economy has recovered at a quicker pace than the national economy. Its development in private-sector employment is the third-highest in the nation.Clearly, Florida is blessed with a warm climate that is a magnet for these in search of to escape long, dreary winters. It will always have that advantage more than the North. Credit Mother Nature for that.But its post-recession development also owes a lot to its financial climate as nicely, which is man-made. As the James Madison Institute, a free of charge-marketplace consider tank in Tallahassee, points out, Florida’s state price range is half the size of New York State’s. Florida also has no revenue tax, and its regulatory environment tends to make it less difficult to start off and run a enterprise than in quite a few Northeastern states. Gov. Rick Scott produced Tv advertisements that appeared on national cable television networks encouraging persons to move to Florida, and he also wrote open letters to organization owners in New York State touting the financial advantages of Florida.Florida may in no way catch California or Texas in population (you believe visitors right here is undesirable now!), but it need to preserve the formula for accomplishment and put New York far in its rear-view mirror.Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.Article: http://www.macroinsider.com/politics/empire-falls-florida-surpasses-new-york-h13494.html