The solution to many of the problems we face right now is pretty straightforward: We have to move to a place where those problems don’t exist.
That’s exactly what tens of thousands of people did when the coronavirus pandemic arrived. Big liberal cities shut down, forced people out of work, and restricted access to everyday activities. So, city dwellers packed their bags and relocated to a place that prioritized normalcy.
For many, that place was Florida. The Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research estimates that more than 325,000 residents moved to Florida between April 2020 and 2021. At least 35,000 of those residents came from New York, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
Gov. Ron DeSantis wants to keep that influx rolling. This month, he offered out-of-state police officers a $5,000 bonus to pack their bags and move to the Sunshine State, where he promised they would be treated and paid well. Other cities might try to defund their local police departments or force officers to get vaccinated against COVID-19, but Florida will not, DeSantis said.
“In Florida, not only are we going to want to protect the law enforcement and all the jobs, we are actively working to recruit out-of-state law enforcement because we do have needs in our police and sheriff’s departments,” he said.
He also urged ships facing backlogs in the West Coast’s ports to reroute to Florida.
“We’re here. We have capacity,” DeSantis said. “We have to make sure people can go Christmas shopping as normal. We have to make sure that all the necessities are there. And if it’s because ships are sitting off the coast somewhere else, and they can be rerouted here, and we can get all those shelves stocked, then we want to be a part of that solution.”
Even without the financial incentives, DeSantis makes a pretty compelling offer. No pandemic restrictions, no state income tax, warm weather — throw in a $5,000 bonus for journalists looking to relocate, and I’ll pack my bags tomorrow.
