Oh, this is absolutely SAVAGE. The Florida Chamber of Commerce just went full petty mode and planted a gigantic digital billboard smack in the middle of Times Square, crowning New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as their "Economic Developer of the Year." Yes, you read that correctly. Florida is literally thanking the socialist mayor for shipping jobs, businesses, and wealthy residents straight down to the Sunshine State, as The American Tribune reported.
The billboard sits at Broadway and West 43rd Street, one of the most visible advertising spots on planet Earth, and features Mamdani's face alongside the gleeful message "Thanks for the jobs!" Talk about rubbing salt in a wound.
But the Chamber insists this goes beyond mere trolling. Their entire campaign revolves around contrasting Florida's low tax, pro business philosophy with what they call New York's embrace of socialism. The tagline? "New York Can Keep Its Socialism." Subtle, right?
Chamber President and CEO Mark Wilson told Fox News Digital that his organization simply wanted to express gratitude for all those families and companies fleeing New York's policies. "We wanted to thank him for the jobs, the companies, the people that they're pushing out of New York," Wilson stated. He pointed out that Florida has slashed taxes repeatedly while still watching state revenues climb as the economy booms.
And the numbers they rolled out? Pretty brutal. The Chamber cited IRS migration data showing Florida raking in approximately $2.4 million in net taxable income every single hour. Meanwhile, New York hemorrhages roughly $1.1 million per hour. Florida reportedly gains 551 new residents daily through net migration while New York loses 115. The population gap tells the same story, with Florida surging 8.7% over five years compared to New York shrinking by 0.6%.
The budget comparison is equally eye popping. Florida's state budget clocks in at $117.6 billion versus New York's whopping $277 billion, even though Florida now has more residents. Per capita spending sits at $5,012 in Florida compared to a staggering $13,848 in New York. Wilson noted that it's no mystery why people keep heading south.
He did offer something resembling an olive branch, saying this campaign is not about celebrating New York's struggles. "We're hoping that these other states will say 'no' to this move towards socialism," he explained, framing it as a national conversation rather than interstate trash talk.
New York City Hall was NOT having it, though. A spokesperson fired back by highlighting 21,700 jobs added over the previous six months and insisted the city's economy under Mamdani is performing at historic levels. They pledged to keep growing while ensuring working class New Yorkers share in the prosperity.
But here's the kicker. Florida is not stopping with New York. Wilson hinted that similar billboard campaigns could pop up targeting Chicago, California, and Minneapolis next. "There's several runner ups for this," he said with what we can only imagine was a very satisfied grin.
So buckle up, blue state mayors. Florida is coming for your billboards, your businesses, and apparently your bragging rights too.
Read more American news stories at: The American Tribune
