Do Taxes Matter to Migration?

American Legislator ^ | 5-21-14 | Ben Wilterdink

[ThethoughtsofGreg]

While certainly not the only factor affecting whether Americans move from one state to another, taxes play a significant role in the equation, even if it is most significantly an indirect role. The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities recently released a report with the purpose of “debunking” this common-sense claim. In addition to the rebuttal from ALEC’s Center for State Fiscal Reform staff, the Tax Foundation also released a series of blog posts that address a few individual issues in CBPP’s report.

First, the Tax Foundation makes the crucial point that taxes matter on the margin. Taxes might not be a person’s only reason to move but that is no evidence to assume that people do not also consider taxes when thinking of moving. Next, while the percentage of Americans moving from one state to another might appear small, at just 1.5 percent, this is well over 5 million people moving every year. Over time this “small” number adds up can be very significant. In fact, since 1960, New York has lost 14 congressional seats due to net outmigration. Additionally, from 1992 to 2010, $2 trillion of Adjusted Gross Income moved with millions of Americans from one state to another.

[Gay State Conservative]

Taxes will absolutely play a role in where I retire.