The Wall Street Journal opines on the New York government’s attempt to extort more money from the Yankee shortstop. The most interesting revelation is that Jeter apparently followed the rules and avoided being in the state for more than 183 days, but the tax collectors want to apply a different rule simply because Jeter has expressed his “love for New York.” Who knew free speech could be so expensive?
New York’s tax bureaucracy…has made a refugee out of one of its most famous icons. …Who can blame him? Florida has no personal income tax, while New York’s rate for the top bracket is 6.8%, rising to [10.5]% in New York City… That makes for one of the worst tax burdens in America – and politicians are proud of it. …New York tax laws also take a notoriously wide view of “residency.” Literally tens of thousands of people only work in-state Tuesday to Thursday each week to avoid spending the requisite 184 days per year that would subject their full income to the state tax regime. And Albany’s taxmen try to catch them with things like travel records, credit-card usage and phone logs. …state auditors don’t dispute that his primary residence was in Florida before 2001 or after 2003, or even that he spent most of the year down south over the target period. Rather, they’re employing the more subjective “domicilery test.” They point to Mr. Jeter’s Manhattan apartment, his “numerous public statements professing his love for New York,” and allege he has “immersed himself in the New York community.” Gosh. Yankee owner George Steinbrenner is also a primary resident of Florida, no doubt for the same reasons as Mr. Jeter and who knows how many other professional athletes.
There are broader lessons to be learned from this episode. First, taxpayers respond to incentives, even if politicians like to pretend that high tax rates don’t impact behavior. Second, federalism is a good idea because it creates both good examples and bad examples. Third, maybe if New York wasn’t such a high-tax hell-hole, my beloved Yankees could concentrate on reclaiming their birthright by winning the World Series.
