Ken Griffin Credits Florida’s Low Crime, Effective Government For State’s Success, Praises Miami Mayor’s Housing Reforms

Citadel founder Ken Griffin said Florida's success has less to do with its low tax rate than with public safety, effective government and affordable housing, according to VINnews. Speaking in an interview with Walter Isaacson on PBS's "Amanpour & Company," broadcast Nov. 2, Griffin said taxes played a very small role in the state's economic performance. Griffin, who previously lived in Chicago before relocating to Miami, identified public safety as a major difference between the two cities, recalling that he did not want to walk outside at night in Chicago because it was unsafe.

Griffin described Florida as a state whose government focuses on education, safe streets and delivering high-quality public services at a cost-effective price. He also praised Miami's new Democratic mayor for prioritizing housing affordability by reducing the time required to secure permits for multifamily housing projects. Griffin said the mayor told him during a meeting several weeks earlier that the city had cut permitting delays from 800 days to just over 100 days. "She knows that will drive down the cost of housing," Griffin said.

Griffin said the mayor's approach to improving government services and streamlining development should be adopted by mayors and governors across the country. The interview also covered economic inequality, education, artificial intelligence and the economic policies of President Donald Trump. Griffin, who founded the Miami-based hedge fund Citadel, has been a prominent figure in finance and a supporter of education and political causes.