There are a lot of factors that go into building a successful sports team. One is whether or not you are based in a Republican-run state.
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill named state taxes as one of the reasons he chose to be traded to the Dolphins over the New York Jets. After being traded from the Kansas City Chiefs, Hill signed a four-year, $120 million contract extension, and he evidently didn’t want Democratic governments taking a chunk of that for themselves.
Florida does not have a state income tax, and the state has the 11th-lowest tax burden in the United States. In comparison, New Jersey (where the Jets play) has one of the highest income taxes on top earners and the sixth-highest tax burden. Nearby New York has the second-highest income tax on top earners and the highest tax burden.
This is nothing new in the sports world. Income tax became a larger-than-normal part of the free agency discussion of then-NBA star Dwight Howard, who ended up leaving the Los Angeles Lakers for the Houston Rockets in 2013 (Texas also does not have a state income tax). When star point guard Chris Paul was shipped from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Houston Rockets in 2017, he was able to sign a $205 million extension without having money-hungry California take a bite out of it. He saved around $15 million.
Many factors go into the decisions these athletes make in moving from one team to another, but money will always play a factor. Many come from less fortunate backgrounds, and all are coming into generational wealth that will change the way their family lives forever. And not all are fortunate enough to be given the massive deals Paul and Hill received. Even a veteran’s minimum salary can go further in Florida and Texas than in California and New Jersey.
So, Jets fans, the solution to your misery is simple: A vote for a Republican governor may just be the thing that lands you the next Tyreek Hill.
