In response to Gov. Cuomo's Tax-Free NY plan, James Banks, writing in policymic.com, asserts that Upstate New York's problems won't be solved by tax-free zones -- the real problem is that Upstate New York cannot thrive in a tax and regulatory environment designed for NYC:
Tax-Free NY Isn't Upstate New York's Solution
While his thoughts and critiques about the problem are convincing, I am not sure, at this point, Upstate New York could survive secession. At one time, Upstate probably did fund the NYC morass. That day has passed. Would a state of 7 million residents with a struggling economy, exodus of population and loss of identity thrive in the 21st century? Would the residents accept Medicaid cuts, decreases in hospital funding, additional prison closures, management of a massive complex of state facilities and a myriad of other financial problems?
