Zohran Mamdani, the self-declared democratic socialist who won the Democratic nomination for New York City mayor, is pushing a controversial new tax proposal that targets what his campaign describes as “richer and whiter neighborhoods.”
In a newly released policy memo, Mamdani claims the city’s property tax system is biased in favor of wealthy homeowners and vows to “shift the tax burden from overtaxed homeowners in the outer boroughs to more expensive homes in richer and whiter neighborhoods.” His campaign suggests cutting taxes for lower-income areas while raising rates on properties in affluent neighborhoods like Park Slope and the Upper West Side.
The 33-year-old Queens assemblyman, a Muslim immigrant who became a U.S. citizen in 2018, has become a lightning rod for criticism over his extremist platform, which includes rent freezes, government-run grocery stores, and defunding the police. His rhetoric and record have alarmed moderates, Republicans, and even some longtime Democrats.
Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) called for Mamdani to be stripped of his citizenship, citing what he described as “support for foreign terror organizations.” In a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Ogles wrote, “Zohran ‘little muhammad’ Mamdani is an antisemitic, socialist, communist who will destroy the great City of New York… He needs to be DEPORTED.”
Mamdani has faced bipartisan backlash for past statements refusing to condemn calls to “globalize the intifada” and for a rap track praising individuals convicted of financing Hamas. On October 7, after Hamas massacred Israeli civilians, Mamdani issued a statement focused solely on “ending the occupation,” with no mention of the terror attack.
Wall Street titan Bill Ackman, founder of Pershing Square Capital, has committed to spending millions to defeat Mamdani, warning that his leadership would turn New York City into another “failed city” like San Francisco or Chicago. “There are hundreds of millions of dollars of capital available to back a competitor to Mamdani that can be put together overnight,” Ackman said.
Mamdani defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo in a shocking upset during the Democratic primary and now heads to the general election in November, where he will face incumbent Mayor Eric Adams (running as an independent), Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, and independent candidate Jim Walden.
As the race heats up, Mamdani’s radical tax plan and ideological extremism are expected to remain at the center of a fiercely contested battle for the future of New York City.