New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani looks on as Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks at a news conference in New York City on Aug. 12, 2026. (Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images)
By Michael Austin August 24, 2026 at 6:00am
New York City Democratic Mayor Zohran Mamdani is embarking upon a socialist agenda during his first year in office.
As wealthy residents flee the Big Apple to avoid higher taxes, Florida is emerging as a major destination for their resources and businesses — a reality in which the Sunshine State is reveling.
The Florida Chamber of Commerce launched a Times Square billboard campaign calling Mamdani the “Economic Developer of the Year.”
“We wanted to thank him for the jobs, the companies, the people that they’re pushing out of New York — and a lot of them are coming to Florida,” Florida Chamber of Commerce CEO Mark Wilson told Fox Business on Aug. 10.
Wilson drew attention to the broader threat toward freedom represented by Mamdani and other democratic socialists.
Florida is taking its rivalry with New York straight to Times Square.
A massive new billboard in the heart of Manhattan has a message for NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani: “Thanks for the jobs!”
The Florida Chamber of Commerce named Mamdani its “Economic Developer of the Year,” saying… pic.twitter.com/u6uWzbwOSi
— FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) August 10, 2026
“America is at a crossroads right now. I think everyone that’s paying attention knows that our country was built on freedom and free enterprise and people having the liberty to make their dreams come true,” he added.
“And there’s a push in our country right now to take those liberties away and to attack free enterprise. And that’s never worked anywhere, and it won’t work in America.”
“What Mayor Mamdani is doing is dangerous for the country, right? It’s bad for New Yorkers. It’s bad for New York. It’s very harmful for the country,” Wilson continued.
“We can choose free enterprise, which is what America was built on, or we can choose to destroy that,” he noted. “And so, what we’re hoping happens from this campaign is that we refocus America on free enterprise.”
The data from official government sources show that residents are indeed voting with their feet.
The state of Florida is currently gaining $2.4 million of net taxable income each hour, while New York is losing $1.1 million per hour.
Every day, Florida gains a net 551 residents, while New York loses 115.
Wilson said that tax policy is a major driver of businesses and families moving into the state.
“Florida’s lowered taxes over 50 times in the last 15 years. And we have record revenues coming in because people want to be here. And when the economy grows, tax revenues grow. That’s how free enterprise works,” he remarked.
Wilson also expressed hope that New York desists from their socialist policies, creating a better and more free life for residents of the Empire State.
“Even though Florida is winning right now, we’re not looking for New York to lose. We’re hoping that these other states will say ‘no’ to this move towards socialism and say ‘yes’ to the very policies that our country was founded on,” he said.
“This isn’t about spiking a football or looking at the scoreboard about Florida versus New York. This is really about trying to save our country from crazy.”
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Michael wrote for several entertainment news outlets before joining The Western Journal in 2020. He now serves as Managing Editor, which involves managing the editorial team and operations, guiding the publication’s editorial direction, and writing, editing, curating and assigning stories as needed.
Birthplace
Ames, Iowa
Nationality
American
Education
Iowa State University
Topics of Expertise
Cultural Politics, Pop Culture, Christian-Conservatism
