A letter to Minnesotans: Florida welcomes you with low taxes

This month, after the announcement of a proposed new tax on Minnesota snowbirds, I sent this letter to Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton, extending an invitation to all Minnesotans to avoid the new tax by making southwestern Florida their home.

Dear Gov. Dayton,

I’m writing today to thank you. As a Floridian, I am overjoyed to hear about your plan to raise taxes on Minnesotans, most especially the so-called snowbirds.

Your proposal gives us a chance to shine here in the Sunshine State. We love to share southwestern Florida with snowbirds from all over the country. We are proud to host or be home to entrepreneurs who invest in our economy and philanthropists who invest in our community.

It’s my sincere hope your plan has just driven many Minnesotans to become year-round residents of our great state, which offers no income tax; great public, charter and private schools; and excellent opportunities and incentives for investment for both big and small business.

You make America great, Governor. You show that in this blessed country of ours, each and every state is its own experiment in economic freedom and government overreach. You are illustrating why many of the states throughout our republic which are keeping taxes low and spending money efficiently have attracted manufacturing, financial institutions, and other large and small business owners.

From what I understand, your plan would tax the income of individuals who spend at least 60 days in Minnesota even if they are full-time residents of another state, like Florida. According to the State Revenue Department, this tax could raise $30 million — a drop in the bucket compared to the $37.9 billion of your proposed budget.

If Minnesotans want to get a heavy-handed, over-taxing government out of their pocket, I invite them to pack their bags and relocate right here where white sand beaches, cool blue water and low taxes await.

While here, I’d like to make a few other suggestions of what people can do: catch a Minnesota Twins or Boston Red Sox spring training game in Fort Myers; take a walk on Sanibel beach; buy a large and extremely affordable home in Cape Coral; enjoy the beaches, nightlife and shopping in Naples; head to Marco Island, with its beautiful beaches (did I mention those?) and quick access to one of the world’s most pristine and fascinating environments, the Everglades.

Again, Governor, I thank you for your proposal. It draws the contrast of what is happening not only in United States today but the world. Your message makes the message of patriotic, liberty-loving Americans shine: All we ask is for local, state and federal governments to spend our money efficiently and wisely. We want economic and taxing decisions to be made based on what is fair and reasonable, not based on anger or emotion.

Economic freedom coupled with a limited, efficient government has made this country strong for generations and provided more opportunity than any place on Earth for more than 200 years. In Florida, we hope to carry on that tradition. And in southwestern Florida, we look forward to seeing many more Minnesotans in the near future.

U.S. Rep. Trey Radel, R-Florida, is from the Fort Myers/Naples area.

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