Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster
Yale University should move to Florida.
At least, that’s what Gov. Rick Scott thinks should happen. In a news release Tuesday, Scott called on the Ivy League university to consider moving its operations to the Sunshine State. The proposition comes as Connecticut lawmakers are proposing a 7 percent tax on the net investment profits of Yale’s endowment.
“With news that the Connecticut Legislature wants to unfairly tax one of the nation’s most renowned universities to deal with the state’s budget shortfall, it is clear that all businesses in Connecticut, including Yale, should look to move to Florida,” Scott said in a prepared statement. “If Connecticut lawmakers are seriously considering another tax on Yale, businesses and families should be concerned about the other tax increases their Legislature will consider.”
Scott said Floridians “welcome a world-renowned university like Yale to our state.” The governor also promised the state would “not raise taxes on their endowment.”
“This would add yet another great university to our state,” he said.
The appear of lower taxes and no snow isn’t enough to get Yale officials to uproot its hallowed halls and move to Florida.
“It’s wonderful to be recognized as an outstanding asset, but Yale, New Haven and Connecticut have been on common ground to great mutual benefit for 300 years,” said Tom Conroy, a university spokesman, in a statement. “We’re looking forward to reaching even greater heights in education, research and civic engagement over the next three centuries and more.”
It isn’t the first time Scott tried to woo companies from Connecticut. In January 2015, Scott traveled there to try to lure companies to the Sunshine State.
On Tuesday, a spokesman for Gov. Daniel Malloy issued a blistering statement saying the latest move was nothing but partisan politics.
“Has Governor Scott sent out a press release claiming to recruit companies from North Carolina after its Republican Governor just signed a discriminatory, anti-gay law,” said spokesman Devon Puglia in a statement. “Or is this more about partisan politics than anything else?
