TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (VINnews) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sunday claimed a major policy win over New York, spotlighting what he called taxpayer-unfriendly choices in New York state and New York City as Mayor Zohran Mamdani pushes for significant tax increases to address budget shortfalls.

DeSantis highlighted Florida’s population edge and leaner spending, noting the state now has nearly 4 million more residents than New York while maintaining a smaller budget.

“Florida now has almost 4 million more residents than NY, yet their budget is over TWICE AS LARGE as Florida’s!” DeSantis said in remarks that gained traction among conservative commentators and Florida Republicans.

He pointed out that New York City, with roughly 8 million residents, operates a budget larger than Florida’s entire state allocation, despite Florida delivering what he described as superior infrastructure, roads and services.

“New York City with 8 million people has a larger budget than the entire state of Florida and yet our infrastructure is better, our roads are better, services are better,” DeSantis stated.

“These are CHOICES,” he added. “They don’t respect the taxpayers in these places and people have rebelled now.”

The comments come amid Mamdani’s recent preliminary budget proposal for fiscal year 2027, which totals around $127 billion — a figure that has drawn sharp comparisons to Florida’s approximately $117 billion state budget despite the vast population difference (Florida at over 23 million residents versus New York City’s 8 million-plus).

DeSantis linked the criticism to broader New York issues, including ongoing homelessness and crime challenges in certain areas.

“It’s not just taxes. You have homeless problem. You obviously have had crime problem in some of these areas for a number of years,” he said.

The governor defended Florida’s no-state-income-tax policy, which he pledged to preserve, while noting sales tax exemptions on essentials.

“We have no state income tax in Florida, which we’re gonna keep. We have a sales tax, but the necessities of life are actually exempt,” DeSantis explained. “So food, medication, baby items, you don’t even pay sales tax on that.”

“And so if somebody is struggling trying to make ends meet, we’ve done a lot to reduce the burdens on them,” he continued. “We’ve stood for people that are working hard. We respect the taxpayers and the proof’s in the pudding!”

DeSantis questioned the justification for New York’s larger spending given perceived inferior outcomes.

“How can you possibly argue that it would be OK to have a budget TWICE as large like New York State? Given the substandard results that they have, it’s a choice of how they’re treating taxpayers,” he concluded.

Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, has proposed raising taxes on high earners and corporations as a primary solution to fiscal gaps, framing a potential 9.5% property tax hike as a “last resort” if state leaders in Albany reject his plans.

DeSantis’ remarks align with ongoing narratives of migration from high-tax states like New York to Florida, with recent population estimates showing Florida surpassing 23 million residents compared to New York’s roughly 20 million.