Gone to Florida

Billionaire B. Thomas Golisano is fed up with the New York State's high taxes. The tax hikes approved by Albany on people like him and upper middle-class New Yorkers was the final straw for the owner of the Buffalo Sabres and founder of Paychex payroll processing company.

The "millionaire's tax" boosted rates on people making over $500,000 a year from 6.85 percent to 8.97 percent. Mr. Golisano said the increase will cost an extra $1 million a year, boosting his annual tax bill to $4.7 million.

So Mr. Golisano is changing his legal address to Florida, which does not have a state income tax. The move will save him an average of $13,800 a day in state income taxes.

"This budget and the increase in the level of taxation are really going to push a lot more people out of the state," Mr. Golisano said.

It won't be a difficult change for Mr. Golisano, who only has to spend another month or so in Florida to qualify as a resident.

He is the first to publicly flee the Empire State as a result of the rising taxes, which opponents had predicted would force wealthier New Yorkers to leave and take with them their businesses and jobs.

Mr. Golisano is not doing that. He plans on selling one of this two New York homes, but his business interests will remain here. The decision keeps Mr. Golisano from making a fourth bid for governor, although he intends to remain politically active here and to continue his philanthropic efforts.

Mr. Golisano is the most prominent sign of the problem in Albany, but he will be followed by others voting with their feet, too.