Several European readers have pointed out how America and Florida discourage long-term visits and investment by affluent foreigners, chiefly Europeans and Canadians, eager to buy a home and spend substantial time and money there.The presence of these snowbirds is of enormous benefit to Florida. The property and sales taxes seasonal residents pay relative to the burdens they impose on public services makes them a great bargain. They don't take jobs, they create them by spending money on goods and services. When they buy a house, they help soak up excess inventory and re-inflate depressed prices. All this is just what the doctor of economics ordered for an economy battered by foreclosures, recession and declining tourism.
But immigration rules since 9/11 impose short-term stays on foreign visitors who could easily qualify for a "homeowner's visa," long stays and fast border crossings, as proposed by Rod Senior of Gateway.
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