James Fishback Proposes $50K 'Mamdani Tax' on Out-of-State Real Estate Buyers in Florida

Fishback's Candidacy and Core Platform

• 🎯 James Fishback, at 31, is running for Florida governor, driven by a desire to make the state affordable for its long-term residents.
• 🔑 His platform focuses on addressing rising costs of property taxes, homeowners insurance, and HOAs, aiming to ease financial burdens for families.

Proposed Policies for Florida

• 🚫 Fishback plans to end the H-1B visa program in Florida, prioritizing jobs for recent graduates.
• 🏠 He proposes banning private equity, foreign nationals, and large corporations from purchasing single-family homes to curb market hoarding.
• 📈 To address overdevelopment and preserve Florida's character, he contrasts an "old Florida" focused on citrus and tourism with a "new Florida" of AI data centers and concrete jungles.

Addressing Foreign Influence and Education

• 🎓 Fishback intends to sign an executive order on his first day to raise tuition for foreign students to $1 million annually, arguing that Florida's educational resources should prioritize state residents.
• ⚠️ He highlights the concern that foreign students might displace qualified local students from university programs.

The "Mamdani Tax" Proposal

• 💰 Fishback is introducing a $50,000 property transaction tax, dubbed the "Mamdani tax," for any out-of-state individual buying single-family real estate in Florida.
• ⚖️ The goal is to create a disincentive for non-residents to purchase property, thereby recalibrating the market to benefit Florida families.
• 🏠 This tax aims to prevent out-of-staters from outbidding local families, ensuring they have a chance to buy homes and remain in the state.

Economic Nationalism vs. Corporatism

• 💡 Fishback frames his platform as economic nationalism, prioritizing working people and young couples over the interests of large corporations.
• 🌳 He also proposes a $1 billion reward for any scientist who discovers a cure for citrus greening, aiming to revive Florida's significant citrus industry.

Property Tax Elimination and Residency Vesting

• 💯 Fishback advocates for the complete elimination of property taxes for Florida residents, not just relief or reform.
• ⏳ He suggests a "vesting" period, similar to Howard Jarvis's Prop 13 in California, where benefits like property tax relief would be granted to residents after a certain tenure (e.g., 5-10 years) to reward long-term commitment to the state.