Newt’s World – Episode 911: Will Mayor Mamdani Cause a Business Exodus?

Date: November 20, 2025
Host: Newt Gingrich
Guest: Mayor Scott Singer (Boca Raton, FL)

Overview:

This episode delves into the leadership approach of Mayor Scott Singer and how Boca Raton has become a beacon for business-friendly governance, especially in contrast to high-tax, “big government socialist” city policies, such as those attributed to newly elected New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The discussion centers on core themes of urban management, economic migration, public safety, and how local leadership can outpace ideological trends in major urban centers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Mayor Scott Singer’s Path and Appeal

• Trivia Background (03:09 – 05:00): Mayor Singer shares his experience as a Jeopardy! champion and Millionaire contestant, noting his affinity for trivia and how these appearances helped fund his education.
  • Quote: “Who Wants to be a Millionaire was more luck than anything else… that helped pay for part of law school and then Jeopardy… I tried out multiple times over the years and finally got the call.” (04:18, Mayor Singer)
• Community Popularity & Governance (05:56 – 08:06): Singer attributes his reelection to a culture of collaboration, nonpartisan elections, and a focus on accurate communication amid the challenges of social media-fueled misinformation.
  • Quote: “When you’re able to work collaboratively with people, it keeps the temperature down.” (06:34, Mayor Singer)

Top Concerns of Boca Raton Residents

• Development and Infrastructure (08:18 – 10:00): Residents frequently voice concerns about managed development, traffic, and infrastructure planning. Boca excels by investing in technology, city services, and maintaining a low-density, high-quality environment.
• Affordability Initiatives: Singer stresses the need for “affordable and attainable housing for middle-class workers,” aiming to keep young talent and ensure employers have places for their workforce.

The Business Exodus: Contrasting Models

• Targeting Migrating Businesses (10:00 – 12:03): Singer explains proactive outreach to businesses in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco:
  • “We launched a website, nydeboca.com, which saw thousands of hits in just the first few weeks… We’ve continued follow up messaging with businesses who wanted to come.” (10:29, Singer)
  • Boca Raton has experienced a surge in business and real estate interest following progressive electoral shifts in other major cities.
• Tax Burden as a Driver (15:13 – 17:52): The mayor describes the disproportionate tax burdens in places like NYC (up to 15% for top earners), compared to Boca Raton’s zero percent state income tax and the state’s lowest property tax rate for a full-service city.
  • “Coming to Boca Raton is a real economic advantage.” (15:47, Singer)
  • “Now Mamdani is talking about a 17% marginal rate…that’s just going to give job creators an opportunity to say, ‘Why am I staying here?’” (15:47, Singer)

The Cycle of Socialist Policies & Economic Consequences

• Mobility & Failed Policies (17:52 – 19:22):
  • Singer draws connections between failed “socialist” policies and historic examples like the Soviet Union, lamenting that such ideas need to be re-learned by each new generation.
  • “We’re in an era of mobility…Talent will go where it wants to go. And there’s no more stranglehold on why New York has to be the capital of capital.” (17:52, Singer)

Fiscal Management & City Governance

• Maintaining Low Taxes (19:22 – 21:39):
  • Boca Raton’s fiscal health is attributed to a robust business tax base (protected from the homestead cap), lean government with a focus on core services, and continual economic growth.
  • No expenditures on “make work jobs” or non-essential programs like ESG or DEI.
  • Quote: “We staff leanly. We don’t have programs…we focus on basic services, police, fire, water, sewer, sanitation, parks, libraries, roads.” (19:55, Singer)

National Leadership: The America First Policy Institute

• Chairing the Mayor’s Council (25:07 – 26:48):
  • Singer discusses his role chairing the AFPI Mayor’s Council, aiming to advance “America First” ideas at the city level and increase engagement in often low-turnout mayoral elections.
  • Quote: “There’s no more level of government... that affects your daily life as much as the local government level.” (25:32, Singer)
• Policy Collaboration (26:48 – 28:34):
  • AFPI mayors share best practices, including on law enforcement and interagency collaboration (e.g., working with ICE to combat gangs).
  • A secure border and its downstream impacts on cities is emphasized as a local concern.

Big City Governance & Crime

• Why Don’t Big Cities Change? (28:34 – 31:00):
  • The conversation explores the entrenched ideologies in major cities, with recent elections yielding “defund police” policies, to negative effect.
  • “Some things are going to have to get worse before they get better…If you have an unsafe community, people don’t want to live there, businesses don’t want to be there.” (29:37, Singer)
  • Giuliani’s NYC as a case study in how improving safety revives cities.

Boca Raton’s Centennial & Cultural Legacy

• Centennial Celebration (31:00 – 33:10):
  • Recap of events held—concerts, drone shows, local history partnerships—honoring Boca’s 100-year evolution from Addison Mizner’s vision to present-day prominence.
  • “What made Boca Raton remarkable then…he set out to build the world’s premier resort community. And in only seventeen months, he built what is now the Boca Raton Resort.” (31:17, Singer)

Quality of Life and Economic Opportunity

• Pro-Business Philosophy (33:44 – 35:50):
  • Boca Raton boasts 40 publicly traded corporate headquarters and 14,000 businesses, including tech and finance placements historically tied to IBM and the personal computer’s invention.
  • “Even though IBM left in the 90s, we still had a great tradition ... attracting more businesses. The talent is here.” (34:44, Singer)
  • Personal motivation: creating job prospects for the next generation.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:18 | Mayor Singer | “Both fun experiences… helped pay for part of law school and then Jeopardy.” | | 06:34 | Mayor Singer | “When you’re able to work collaboratively with people, it keeps the temperature down.”| | 10:29 | Mayor Singer | “We launched a website, nydeboca.com, which saw thousands of hits in just the first few weeks.” | | 15:47 | Mayor Singer | "Coming to Boca Raton is a real economic advantage for a lot of people.” | | 17:52 | Mayor Singer | “We’re in an era of mobility…Talent will go where it wants to go." | | 19:55 | Mayor Singer | “We staff leanly…we focus on basic services, police, fire, water, sewer…” | | 25:32 | Mayor Singer | “There’s no more level of government…that affects your daily life as much as the local government level.”| | 29:37 | Mayor Singer | “Some things are going to have to get worse before they get better. If you have an unsafe community, people don’t want to live there...” | | 31:17 | Mayor Singer | "What made Boca Raton remarkable then was noted architect Addison Mizner came to Boca Raton..." | | 34:44 | Mayor Singer | “Even though IBM left in the 90s, we still had a great tradition and continuation of high tech companies…” |

Key Segments and Timestamps

• [03:09] – Introduction to Mayor Scott Singer, trivia game show experiences
• [05:56] – Governance approaches for local support and nonpartisan collaboration
• [08:18] – Resident concerns: development, infrastructure, affordability
• [10:00] – Marketing Boca Raton to relocating businesses
• [15:13] – Comparative tax burdens: Boca Raton vs. New York
• [17:52] – National migration trends and responses to “socialist” city policies
• [19:22] – How Boca Raton keeps taxes low: strong business base and lean government
• [25:07] – Singer’s national policy influence with AFPI
• [28:34] – “Why can’t big cities break out of bad policy cycles?”
• [31:00] – Boca Raton’s centennial celebration and cultural legacy
• [33:44] – Business environment and economic opportunities in Boca
• [35:50] – Closing thoughts on Boca’s strategy, quality of life, and mobility trends

Tone

The conversation is collegial, optimistic, and policy-focused, with Singer presenting Boca Raton as a pragmatic model for municipal leadership and a stark counter-example to the “big government socialist” trends in cities like New York. The discussion is forward-looking, with practical examples and historical context, offering both caution and hope for urban governance in America.

For Further Information

• Learn more about Boca Raton: myboca.us
• Mayor Scott Singer on social media: @ScottSingerUSA
• Boca Raton business relocation initiative: nydeboca.com
• America First Policy Institute: americafirstpolicy.com