‘Come to take your money’: Stephen A. Smith says taxes would eat 2/3 of his income in California — so he fled to Florida

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Stephen A. Smith has built a lucrative career by refusing to hold back. Now, the ESPN firebrand is unloading on a target that hits especially close to home: the staggering tax bill facing some of America's highest earners.

In a wide-ranging appearance on The Culture Table , Smith explained why he has little patience for policies that push taxes higher — and why California is one place where he would hate to collect his paycheck.

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"I can't stand high taxes," Smith said (1). "And if y'all think I'm lying, federal income tax is nearly 40% for people in my range. And then, on top of it all, is an additional 13.6% in the state of California. And we ain't even getting the L.A. city tax. And we ain't getting FICA, Social Security and disability."

By Smith's telling, the end result is brutal: "You're walking home with less than 34% of your money messing around in California. I got a problem with that."

And his criticism goes beyond the Golden State.

"It's similar in New York. I got a problem with that. So, because of that, I speak out against liberal policies that come to take your money," he added.

These remarks have struck a nerve online, with clips of the interview spreading rapidly across social media. And the numbers sound especially explosive coming from Smith, who signed an ESPN extension worth at least $100 million (2) over five years in 2025 — and that's before his SiriusXM deal and other incomes (3) are factored in.

Back in 2024, Smith told NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett that he was house hunting in the Sunshine State — and made clear that taxes were a major reason.

"I'm looking for another crib in Florida. So, in about two months from now I might be in Florida. I got to have primary residence. I'm getting murdered in taxes in New York and LA. Come on, man, that's too much. I'm in the two highest tax states," Smith complained (4).

Property records later showed that Smith had purchased a $9.25 million 7,500-square-foot estate in Pinecrest, an affluent community in Miami-Dade County.