Baseball Star Tries to Avoid New York’s Oppressive Tax Burden

Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees has been a Florida resident since 1994, doubtlessly attracted to the Sunshine State because it has no personal income tax. But since he spends at least 81 days in New York City for Yankee home games, New York already has the right to tax at least half of his baseball salary. But this is not enough for the greedy politicians in Albany. They are trying to make Jeter a permanent New York resident so they can grab a much bigger share of his income. Depending on state rules, the ultimate decision may rest on how many days each year Jeter actually spends in New York. But the legal wrangling misses a bigger point. If New York didn’t treat wealthy people like fatted calves, the politicians would not have to worry about the geese that lay the golden eggs flying across the border. FoxNews.com reports:

New York state tax officials want Jeter to fork over what could be hundreds of thousands — even millions of dollars— in back taxes and interest for the years 2001 to 2003, when the baseball shortstop claimed residency in Florida, despite his high-profile presence in New York’s sports and gossip pages during that time. … Jeter's agent, Casey Close of Creative Artists Agency Sports, disputed tax officials' claim that the baseball star lived in New York during the time in question. "As a Yankee, Derek has great affection for the people of New York and its amazing fans, but since the mid-1990s, he has made his home in Tampa, Florida," Close said in an e-mail to FOXNews.com. … The ruling shows that Jeter has actually claimed Florida residency since 1994, though he first came up with the Yankees late in the 1995 season. State officials aren't disputing those filings, even though Jeter became an increasingly prominent presence around town during that time period, often in the company of young starlets and other New York celebrities. But the team captain's headline-grabbing purchase in 2001 of a $13 million apartment at the ultra-exclusive Trump World Towers on Manhattan’s East Side may have been too much for tax collectors to ignore.