"It's not like he paid taxes here anyway": Governor of New York reacts to Trump moving to Florida
Lifelong New Yorker Donald Trump has officially changed his primary residence from Trump Tower in Manhattan to Mar-a-Lago in Florida. Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York is one of the people who is glad to see the high-profile resident go. "Good riddance," Cuomo tweeted. "It's not like [Trump] paid taxes here anyway... He's all yours, Florida."
Cuomo is a born-and-bred New Yorker whose father, Mario Cuomo, also served as governor. Though the governor is politically at odds with Mr. Trump, the two actually have something in common: they were both born in Queens.
For most of his adult life, Mr. Trump has split his time between his primary residence in Manhattan and his various other properties in New Jersey and Florida — and now, the White House. After he was inaugurated as president, it took about six months for his wife, Melania, and youngest son, Baron, to finish the school year and join him in Washington, D.C.
Even after the family reunited at the White House, they kept their home in New York, but the president visited there far less often than Mar-a-Lago. The Trump Organization is still run out of New York City by the president's eldest sons, Donald Jr. and Eric.
Mr. Trump explained the reason for his move to Florida in a tweet on Thursday, writing while he will always "cherish New York," he's been "treated very badly" by its political leaders, and Palm Beach, Florida, will become his family's permanent residence.
"I cherish New York, and the people of New York, and always will, but unfortunately, despite the fact that I pay millions of dollars in city, state and local taxes each year, I have been treated very badly by the political leaders of both the city and state. Few have been treated worse," he tweeted.
Mr. Trump has lived in Trump Tower at 521 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan since it opened in 1983. The New York Times reports that since Florida does not have a state income tax or inheritance tax, like many wealthy people he would presumably save money by moving to the state.
Mr. Trump is also in a legal battle with the Manhattan District Attorney, who subpoenaed the president's tax returns and is waging a criminal probe into the Trump organization. CBS News correspondent Ben Tracy asked the president if he was leaving New York in part because of the court cases.
"No, they haven't treated me properly. I pay millions of taxes," the president said.
Cuomo wasn't the only New Yorker to welcome Trump's official departure. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio retweeted his wife's message to the president: "Boy, bye," with a waving hand emoji. He also sent his "condolences" to the people of Florida.
While many assumed tax reasons were the impetus behind the move, Geraldo Rivera suggested Mr. Trump is just doing what lots of older New Yorkers do: leaving snowy winters, as well as higher taxes, behind.
New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman reports the move may also be calculated to help Mr. Trump's reelection bid. "Some of Trump's advisers see electoral benefit to him being a Florida resident ahead of 2020," she tweeted after breaking the news. "His campaign manager, [Brad] Parscale, started pushing for it a few months back."
