Curtis Sliwa Pledges $500 Rebates on Congestion Tolls, Tax Relief for Workers in NYC Mayoral Bid
Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa is pitching a plan to put more cash back into the wallets of New Yorkers — promising rebates on congestion tolls, property tax relief, and an end to city taxes on tips if he’s elected this November.
On Monday, the GOP nominee will unveil what he calls his “Money In Your Pocket” blueprint, a three-pronged affordability agenda that directly challenges the tax-heavy platform of Democratic socialist frontrunner Zohran Mamdani.
“This is a way that we can actually put money back into people’s pockets, so that they have expendable income, so that they are not forced to leave,” Sliwa told the New York Post.
At the center of Sliwa’s plan is a “city mobility rebate,” giving New Yorkers earning under $150,000 a year the opportunity to claim back 10 percent of what they spend annually on Manhattan’s congestion tolls, capped at $500. The congestion pricing program — which charges drivers $9 to enter below 60th Street — went into effect in April and has been deeply unpopular, especially among working-class commuters who rely on their cars.
“I’m not concerned about millionaires and billionaires and people making more than enough money,” Sliwa said. “This is designed for working-class people.”
Sliwa also pledged to mirror a provision from President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” signed into law in July, which ended federal income taxes on tips. Under his plan, New York City would exempt tipped workers — including waitresses, bartenders, hotel staff, and even golf caddies — from city income taxes. “No City Tax on Tips” would give tens of thousands of New Yorkers extra breathing room in a city already known for high living costs.
The third leg of the plan calls for new $500 property tax rebates for homeowners, co-op residents, and condo owners who can prove New York City is their primary residence. The rebates would operate similar to the state’s School Tax Relief (STAR) program that helps seniors and families on fixed incomes.
Sliwa said the proposals would be funded by trimming $8 to $10 billion in waste from the city’s bloated budget, pointing in particular to the Department of Education. With a $41 billion budget — and projected spending of $42,000 per pupil this year — Sliwa said DOE has become a dumping ground for “high-priced deputy chancellors and other execs” who add layers of bureaucracy without improving outcomes.
“It’s bureaucratic fat,” he said. “You can cut it without hurting the kids or the teachers.”
Sliwa argued that his affordability platform stands in sharp contrast to Mamdani’s. “Zohran Mamdani’s plan is tax, tax and tax, and we know that’s just going to chase people away,” he said.
While Sliwa’s proposals would require cooperation from Albany lawmakers for permanent approval, he said he would immediately move to fund the rebates during his first year in office by auditing city agencies and pushing to cut waste.
The Guardian Angels founder and longtime radio host remains an underdog in the race. Current polling shows Mamdani in first place, followed by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, with Sliwa trailing in third but still ahead of incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, whom as of today has dropped out of the race.
For Sliwa, however, the message is simple: return City Hall to the people footing the bill. “This is about working New Yorkers who feel squeezed from every direction,” he said. “I want them to know I’m on their side.”