>>>I never that said taxes cause high paying jobs.
>>>Of course that's absurd.
>>>You postulated the notion that "producers" run from high taxes.
>>
>>Not a postulation - no matter how you slice the data, jobs, taxpayers and total taxable income are leaving high tax states and arriving in low tax states.
>>The IRS own data show that.
>>
>
>Michael- not Mel
>
>I'd love to see that data.
>Everything I see runs counter to that.

Here is the data:

There are only 2 counter-arguments I can see:
People enjoy paying higher taxes
Higher taxes have no effect on the decision of where to work and live.
If there are other possibilities, I am open to hearing it.

Obviously nobody is insane enough to seek out and enjoy high taxes.
So, perhaps we are discussing the notion that high taxes have no effect on decisions of where to work and live?

I am discounting the notion that highly paid people flock to high tax areas.
They are doing it for many other reasons, and the taxes are just a cost of doing business - just like paying the mafia 50% more for concrete - just a cost of doing business in a favorable location.
They also spend tens of thousands of dollars for stupidly large wristwatches - something the rest of us just don't do.

2 points and you already know the first one:
1. Why do states and localities give big tax breaks to favored businesses to influence business moves?
- Their stated reasons always include job growth and economic development.
- Are they mistaken somehow?

2. Taxpayer and taxable income net migration has been to lower tax states:
- Same links as earlier -
The IRS own data shows continued migration of taxpayers away from higher tax states to lower tax states.
http://taxfoundation.org/blog/tax-migration-myth
http://interactive.taxfoundation.org/migration/

Economics 101, 1st day:
If something is more expensive, people consume less
If something is less expensive, people consume more

Obviously, taxes are only one part of the equation.
Access to resources, talent, and business connections are also very important.

Businesses and jobs are not going to migrate to the middle of the Mojave desert just to enjoy low taxes.
Neither will the Beatles stay in England when "The Tax Man" plunders 95% of what they make:

Let me tell you how it will be
There's one for you, nineteen for me
Cos I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman

Should five per cent appear too small
Be thankful I don't take it all
Cos I'm the taxman, yeah I'm the taxman