The myth of the fleeing rich just won’t die

Dear Editor, Ali Jalili’s recent letter repeats a seemingly immortal contention: that raising taxes on high-income earners will drive them out of state. It’s simply wrong on all counts, but it just won’t die. In fact, the evidence against it is overwhelming. Americans move in large numbers every year. The Census Bureau tracks these moves and lists explanations. The top reasons given are housing, family, jobs and weather. Taxes do not even appear on the list. There have been numerous academic studies of Americans moving from one state to another. Most conclude that taxes are not a major factor. IRS data has long shown that people moving into Vermont earn more on average than those leaving. Common sense dictates the same conclusion. Surely, high-income people know Vermont has higher-than-average income taxes and New Hampshire next door has none. Even the anecdotal evidence confirms the same thing.

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