Golisano voting with his feet
Billionaire Tom Golisano says he's leaving New York State for good. He blames Gov. Paterson...says he's not coming back, even if when income tax hikes in this year's budget sunset. We'll have more on this, and the governor's response, this afternoon on All Before 5 and tomorrow morning at 8.
There's more, including video, here.
posted by Martha Foley @ 5/18/2009 12:03:00 PM
12 Comments
12 Comments:
Oh those poor billionaires. I notice he doesn't say what his daily income is that he's paying $14K per day on. I know a lot of individuals in the North Country who would be happy to earn in a year what he pays in taxes in 2-3 days.
This isn't about what's best for NY, it is about I/me/mine. Mr. Golisano is perfectly content to accept the benefits of doing business in NY. He just doesn't want to have to contribute more than others to fixing the state's problems.
I can't feel sorry for billionaires. IMO those who profit disproportionally from our system should contribute disproportionally. What is Mr. Golisano giving up if he pays that $14K/day in taxes? A new yacht? A 3rd, 4th luxury vacation home? When the average NY worker (about $21k/yr.) has to pay more taxes it means giving up meals, health care education or even their home.
Sadly most of the very wealthy feel entitled to extract disproportionate wealth from the businesses that our system supports but no increased obligation to support that system. Mr. Golisano, you are no Warren Buffet.
I have to concur with Jim. Let's not forget that Florida has the oldest population in the country. They have fewer kids to educate, which is why their taxes are so much lower. Not sure, though, that this gives Golisano a better workforce.
I just don't understand why this is a story. And if it is, how about the story that this guy ran for Governor, but apparently doesn't care squat about the state, only his pocketbook?
I'd like to know which local politicians supported this carpetbagger, if you are going to bother reporting this at all.
Why is Golisano moving out of state as big a story for NCPR then Nader running for president? or the third party candidate in the 20th election, which got apparently the same amount of coverage.
It's reporting like this that made this jerk a candidate to begin with.
I go back to early this year when the State Comptroller's office complained that income tax receipts were down DRASTICALLY because of the events on Wall Street, including the elimination of normally paid bonuses. It made me think about cake.
The worst part of this is he wants to continue addressing tax issues in New York while living in Florida... and Dean Skelos is encouraging the dialogue. Ridiculous.
It is quite offensive that he wants to continue meddling in NYS politics even though he's deemed the state not fit for his habitation.
Even worse is that for all his complaints about NYS supposedly being a terrible state to do business in, he's only moving himself out of the state but his company will remain. Doesn't that undermine what little credibility he has left? Doesn't that make it eminently clear that it's about his selfishness and not his business?
Oh and by the way, according to the numbers he himself provided, Golisano would pay approximately $5 million a year in personal NYS taxes (by comparison, he's had no problem throwing away an AVERAGE of $31 million on EACH of his three failed gubenatorial bids). What's $5 million to a multiBILLIONaire? Good riddance to him.
It's also worth noting that no one or no thing is "forcing" Galisano to move out of New York... He makes it sounds like he has no choice in the matter and that Governor Paterson has pushed him to his limit... There are some individuals who are literally forced to leave a place they call home, because they've been evicted after a landlord fails to pay a mortgage... I wouldn't mind if economic circumstances "forced" me to move to Florida... So long as I had enough time to pack my swimsuit...
Wow, you guys really hate Gollisano huh? I grew up in Western NY (Rochester) and honestly I see Gollisano as one of the few successful businessmen from Upstate NY in my lifetime.
I don't necessarily agree with his political stance. But, I believe that those who are able to create and run successful businesses deserve to earn as much as possible. I also think that they should pay a higher percentage of income tax. His business will remain in NY because that's where his clients are and that's where it will remain profitable. He is leaving on the other hand to take a tax break on his personal income tax.
Before you start pissing in his cheerios consider this: if Tom Golliason never did business in NY State there would be more than 7,000 fewer jobs for New Yorkers today.
If you guys hate him so much what other great companies have come out of New York State in the past twenty years? Who else is creating jobs for people like you?
Timmy, I have nothing against Golisano. But this whole media blitz is basically him asking for our sympathy for his sad plight. What you read here is simply a rejection of the pity that his PR campaign is begging for.
Hey, take it easy these guys. They've just picked up the "class warfare" quicker than you. It's in vogue right now. Hate the rich people!
Except professional athletes as we worship them.
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