Turn Off the Lights?

The state of New York had an estimated population of 19.7 million as of the end of 2022.

The population declined nearly 1% in the last year.

New York Population Trends
Source: https://www.macrotrends.net/states/new-york/population

The state of Florida had an estimated population of 22.2 million at the end of 2022.

Florida's population has increased almost 2% in the last year.

Florida Population Trends
Source: https://www.macrotrends.net/states/florida/population

I think most people are aware of the population trends of these two states over the years.

I doubt many would know that despite having a population that is 11% less than Florida, New York's 2023 state budget is almost exactly DOUBLE that of Florida.

New York is spending $227 billion. Florida $115 billion.

On a per capita basis, New York is spending 2.24 times what Florida is.

This chart from the The Wall Street Journal provides all of the key data.

When Ron DeSantis was elected Governor in 2018, Florida had a $1.8 billion deficit.

Florida ended the last budget year with a $21.8 billion annual budget surplus.

Some would argue that the increased spending is justified in New York by the fact that education funding is much higher and students are getting a better education as a result.

New York is slated to provide $13,868 in state funding for local school districts in 2022-23. Total per student spending in the state is over $32,000 per student.

Credit: https://www.manhattancontrarian.com/blog/2023-2-14-once-again-budget-time-in-new-york-and-florida

By comparison, Florida is providing $8,453 per student in state funding in the current year.

However, in the most recent NAEP national student test scores, Florida fourth graders ranked 5th in the nation in Mathematics scores while New York was 46th.

Source: https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile/

Florida fourth graders ranked 4th in Reading nationally while New York was 36th.

Over $30,000 of per capita spending per student gets you these results?

Of course, the fact that DeSantis did everything to keep students in school during the pandemic while New York did everything to keep them out clearly had something to do with this as well.

Faced with a population that is declining and a state budget that is twice the size of Florida what is Governor Kathy Hochul focusing on?

She has been supporting legislation in her 2023/2024 budget proposal to ban natural gas appliances and furnaces in new buildings in New York.

It passed the Democrat legislature last week.

You may recall that it was only a few months ago that the media labeled those who were arguing that Democrats would soon be banning gas stoves and furnaces as a crazy conspiracy theory.

The same was true of Democrat politicians.

In fact, three months ago New York Senator Chuck Schumer mocked GOP claims that natural gas stoves were the next target of the progressives on the left.

Source: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/3843076-schumer-mocks-gop-nobody-is-taking-away-your-gas-stove/

A national ban is on hold.

However, Schumer wasn't exactly telling the truth to his own constituents was he?

Looking at everything that is going on it almost looks Democrats want people to leave New York.

The poor people of New York are being taxed to death, regulated to death, many are scared for their lives and they soon may be freezing to death.

Will the last person to leave New York please turn off the lights?