Not only is the flight from New York real, its greater than expected

New York is facing a problem that could prove costly in more ways than one.

Newsmax reports that more people have moved out of New York in 2020 than out of any other state. 

The numbers

This information comes by way of the recent estimates for the 2020 census.

What the numbers show is that between July 2019 and July 2020, some 126,355 people left New York. That’s 0.65 percent of the population, and it is quite a bit more than previously anticipated.

There is little doubt that the Democratic-led state government’s handling – or mishandling – of the coronavirus played a large role. Overbearing coronavirus restrictions have hurt businesses and have, in general, made the state a less desirable place to live.

New York has for a while now had some of the country’s highest tax rates, and the possibility presented by the coronavirus to work remotely has also allowed residents to finally flee from the state’s big government. The numbers show that the people are seizing the opportunity.

The consequences

This is going to hurt New York in many ways. The economic impact is probably what first comes to mind. But, there is a good chance that there will also be political ramifications.

It is important to remember that the census conducted once every ten years is used to determine how many members each state gets to send to the House of Representatives. If the current estimates are correct, then New York might lose some representation.

The Brookings Institution recently told the New York Times that New York would lose a seat in the House of Representatives if the current census numbers stand. New York would drop down to 26 representatives, which, according to Newsmax, would mean that it would have less representatives than Florida for the first time ever.

A big shift could be coming

New York wouldn’t be the only state to lose representation in the House, either. Some others would be Alabama, California, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.

On the other hand, Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, North Carolina, and Montana could each gain representation.

The question going forward will be what impact, if any, this will have on future elections. It could be bad news, for example, if the exodus of New Yorkers and Californians, among others, changes a typically red state blue. This is certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

The post Not only is the flight from New York real, its greater than expected first appeared on Conservative Institute.