Strategy for promoting Orlando growth

[RedStatesWork]

We have been getting into politics a bit, but believe the topic to be relevant to the UrbanPlanet forum as to discuss theories on getting economic growth which in turn promotes Urban development. The great thing about the United States is that we still somewhat a Federalism type of govt (until 10th amendment is totally reversed) where state and local govt's have autonomy to enact their own policies to which citizens can migrate to in order to achieve life, liberty and pursuit of happiness (sorry to offend anyone with the Constitutional reference).

Therefore, let's take a look at what has worked and not worked. The states that are suffering this economic downturn the worst are the high tax, spend, and regulated states (NY, CA, MI, NJ). Eventually, those who make up the tax base (higher earners) will say enough and seek out a location which allows them most liberty, or stay in their current locaiton and just work less. With low taxes (minus our high property taxes), FL is in a strong position to attract those high earners (and highly taxed) from such states. TX is a state that has seen 80% of the country's 2008 job growth and budget is even in a surplus (call it bizaro California and their 10% sales and 10% state income tax, ouch) because of such low taxes. It's no coincidence Tiger Woods calls Orlando home rather than his home state of California.

Therefore, the best way to continue Florida's and Orlando's economic growth is to reduce taxes to incitivies those who will create jobs to live and do business here. As much emphathy we may have for the poor, not many of us have received a job from a poor person, nor do they have much spending power to grow our businesses. It may be thought that lefitst policies are better for the poor, but look at the big cities with the highest rates of poverty (Detriot, Cleveland, Buffalo, El Paso, Memphis, Miami, Newark, Phily, Cinci). They have all had Democrats with high rate of tax and spend policies for decades which has not solved any poverty problem (some may say even increased it). Keeping our house in order with low taxes can hope to offset the high tax\spend policies we are now seeing at the Federal level (a view unfortanatly shared by our new congressman).