Lessons From LeBron: What Clevelanders Should Really Be Pissed About

LeBron James has decided to move to Florida and play for the Miami Heat rather than bear another season with the Cavaliers.

Everybody is piling on: How could a dude with a tattoo of the word loyalty on his chest abandon “the mistake on the lake?”

But LeBron is only doing what more than half of Cleveland’s population has done over the in the last 60 years: Getting the hell out of the place.

He didn’t leave because of money, though some analyses show that he can take home more in pay in Florida despite a lower salary. Ohio used to be one of the lowest-tax states in the country. Now it’s one of the highest.

That’s what Clevelanders should be outraged about. Their economy has enough to deal with already without being put in a full court press by high taxes.

Cleveland needs to get rid of its savior complex. LeBron James could never have saved Cleveland–no single sports star or entrepreneur or bailout can–but there are definite, proven steps that any city can take to improve
life for its citizens.

Reason.tv highlighted a whole host of possible steps in our series “Reason Saves Cleveland” available at www.reason.tv.

“Don’t Blame LeBron” was produced by Dan Hayes and Nick Gillespie. Production Assistant Joshua Swain.