Florida business district seeks migrating New Yorkers via ‘playful’ website

A real estate developer in South Florida is seeking to lure New Yorkers to the Sunshine State with a facetious website that highlights the economic woes of the Empire State.

The new UnhappyNewYorkers.com was created on behalf of Downtown Doral, a business development district within Miami-Dade County”™s city of Doral. It promotes itself as offering “a playful poke at the high taxes, rotten winters and outrageous cost of living that are the constant complaints of New Yorkers.” The website snarkily allows New Yorkers to use an interactive chart to determine their annual savings by taking up a Florida residency, along with a user-ready “resignation letter” that announces their departure for Florida with the pronouncement that “I”™m ready to welcome the warm climate, diverse culture and engaging lifestyle of Doral without feeling like all my money is going to taxes!”

The website also has social media-ready meme designed to denigrate New York, with such catchy phrases as “I $ NY” and “Why Do You Think the Dodgers Left?” (Of course, Los Angeles is not part of Miami-Dade County, but the point is taken.)

“No state income tax, no city income tax, no estate tax, a 15-20 percent lower cost of living than New York City and sunshine year-round ”“ what’s not to like?” said Armando Codina, executive chairman of Codina Partners, the real estate investment and development firm behind Downtown Doral. “We heard Governor Cuomo’s frustration over the tax situation and are simply taking a lighthearted poke at the serious tax problem in New York ”“ and other high-taxed states like New Jersey and Connecticut, while pointing out that there is an attractive alternative.”