Why Freedom Works in Florida: Jonathan Williams on NewstalkSTL

ALEC President and Chief Economist Jonathan Williams joined The Tim Jones and Chris Arps Show to discuss the ALEC annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, and the latest policy solutions that are shaping the states.

The conversation began with an overview of the events taking place at the ALEC annual meeting, which saw a record attendance of over 1,800 attendees. Williams highlighted the attendance, the events, and all the policy ideas coming out of this annual meeting and how it reinforced that state-level competition in taxes, education, and energy policy serves as a “laboratory of democracy.”

“Competition happens every single day at the state level,” he remarked, “and that’s exactly what we’re all about at ALEC, is fostering good policy competition.”

Jones and Arps next focused on the theme of the meeting, centered on how freedom works in states like Florida through education freedom and economic growth. Williams noted how Florida has seen millions of people move to the state due to its business-friendly environment established over decades.

“Florida’s been one of America’s superstars over the last couple of decades as a growth state where millions of people are voting with their feet and coming to Florida,” Williams emphasized. “But it didn’t happen by accident. That was a lot of years of hard work.”

The conversation later turned to the upcoming policy discussion being focused on at the meeting. Williams commented on how the discussions at the meeting will involve AI innovation, data centers, energy issues, property taxes, and housing affordability.

“There are lots of discussions around data centers as relates to energy issues and AI, of course, and how to how to tackle those issues going forward,” he stated. “Then you know hearing about education freedom and just some of even you know one of the things I took away today was sometimes even in the red states that have done education freedom. So just something for everybody at any of these ALEC meetings.”

Williams also discussed the economic impact of income tax rates resulting in the migration of residents across the states.

“Look at the U-Haul data from middle-class folks that are driving themselves and moving from state to state,” he remarked. “That shows a very similar trend of people leaving high-tax states and going to low-tax states, especially those without income taxes.”

Williams highlighted the work ALEC Government Efficiency Coalition as it continues its work helping all 50 states protect taxpayers through improved oversight, as well as the additional policy resources the organization offers to lawmakers.

“ALEC exists to provide you sound advice on how your state ranks and what you can do to make your state a more prosperous state, make more job creation, and give yourself a better standard of living and a lower cost of living,” Williams emphasized. “It’s the proof that’s in the pudding when it comes to now 50 plus years of research that ALEC put together.”