As I recently opined about in the pages of State Tax Notes, New York State United Teachers conducted a poll that found that a majority of voters in three swing districts support higher taxes on the wealthy as a way to avoid cuts in education. OK, what did you expect a poll commissioned by a teachers union to find? But this poll looks legitimate. Most voters said they strongly favor new taxes (an additional 1 percent on those earning more than $1 million and 2 percent on those earning more than $5 million). New York faces a $9 billion deficit and is looking at drastic cuts in education. I'm unsurprised that most people would be willing to make those who have so much pay a little more. I know my libertarian friends think it's theft, but most people don't really care if a guy making $10 million a year has to pay an extra 2 percent in tax on everything over $5 million. It's not exactly confiscatory taxation. He can still buy a lot of nice things with the money he has left over.

In 2007 about 45,000 people in New York made more than $1 million a year. I'm guessing most live in Westchester or in the city but not in Staten Island. And 4,800 made more than $5 million. They live in nice neighborhoods as well. Every GOP legislator has come out against raising taxes on the really rich. They say the rich are already paying enough and that higher taxes would give them an incentive to move out of state. I don't think the guys who make more than $5 million a year are looking to move to Jersey.