You sound like you don’t think that the “financial services industry” exists outside of NYC?
Any city in which the financial services industry exists as a big employer is going to be expensive. New York is not the only one: try living in San Francisco, Miami, Chicago or any other major city and you’ll find that there’s little difference. And you really cannot telecommute for everything. People still have to be on the ground and working in face to face groups for important decisions and current information.
Why do people here hate NYC so much? I grew up there and it’s a great place. If the GOP had any of those round things and believed in its message, there might actually be GOP voters there (because nobody likes being taxed to death, which is what happens to you in NYC and NY State). But we ceded the territory to the Dems long ago, and I have voted in many elections where there was literally no local GOP candidate on the ballot. This is probably true in many areas, and is something that needs to be addressed.
That said, why are Freepers out there cheering for higher taxes and telling people they should move if they don’t like them? Especially Federal taxes, because no matter where you move, you have to pay them.