As the race for New York City mayor intensifies, Zohran Mamdani stands out with a platform aimed at making life more affordable for New Yorkers through initiatives like fast and free buses and universal childcare.
However, the critical question remains: How will these ambitious projects be funded?
Mamdani’s clear answer is simple: by taxing the rich.
In a context where New York’s budget is already constrained, merely reallocating existing resources won’t suffice.
For instance, the push for universal childcare, championed by socialist state senator Jabari Brisport, faces a significant obstacle, as state leadership appears reluctant to invest in it without external funding.
Brisport attributes this hesitance to a culture of wanting “someone else to pay for it,” emphasizing that the sole viable solution lies in increased taxation on the wealthy.
This necessity is underscored by the reality that New York City lacks independent taxation powers, making state-level action essential for any substantial financial commitment to social services.
Mamdani, alongside the New York City Democratic Socialists of America (NYC-DSA) and a coalition of progressive groups, is advocating for a significant tax hike on the wealthiest New Yorkers at the state level.
This initiative is viewed as crucial not only to Mamdani’s agenda but also to offset potential shortfalls in federal support due to proposed cuts under President Donald Trump’s legislative acts.
Socialist state senator Julia Salazar highlights the critical dependence of New York’s healthcare system on Medicaid, which consumes about one-third of the state budget, thus putting pressure on hospitals serving low-income communities.
The economic strain on institutions like Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, which serves mostly Medicaid patients, illustrates the potential consequences of failing to adequately fund healthcare — layoffs are already occurring, which could lead to a severe crisis in care amid a surge in patient needs.
The Invest in Our New York (IONY) coalition, which includes NYC-DSA, is mobilizing to reconvene the state legislature in its offseason — September and October — with the aim of enacting new taxes on the affluent.
Past efforts have borne fruit; in 2021, the coalition successfully organized statewide calls for higher taxes on millionaires to support critical needs including public transit, educational resources, and relief measures for vulnerable communities excluded from federal aid.
They achieved tax increases for individuals earning over a million dollars annually.
However, the political landscape for taxing the rich remains fraught with challenges.
As NYC-DSA cochair Gustavo Gordillo points out, the state legislature is influenced heavily by individuals who have ties to the billionaire class, which often leads to pushback against such progressive proposals.
Governor Kathy Hochul has publicly rejected the idea of taxing the wealthy, expressing fears over the potential flight of affluent residents from New York — a narrative often employed by the wealthy to resist taxation.
Conservatives and business leaders frequently warn that increased taxes could prompt the rich to abandon the city, a claim that is often exaggerated.
For Mamdani and the DSA, the outcome of the upcoming campaign holds formidable significance for the trajectory of leftist politics in New York.
Waleed Shahid underscores that the opposition will not simply wait to take advantage of any potential failures; they will actively create conditions for them.
Unmet promises, even due to broader economic pressures from state and federal governance, can lead to a backlash against Mamdani, undermining faith in socialist principles just as external circumstances worsen for working-class citizens.
Despite these concerns, many within the DSA remain hopeful.
Having previously succeeded in organizing efforts during a period marked by challenges, they are entering this campaign phase with renewed vigor.
Political dynamics in Albany appear more conducive to redistributive demands, with an increased presence of DSA-backed legislators — now a total of nine — and greater cooperation from organized labor.
While unions have expressed support for Mamdani, calls for enhanced visibility in the current tax campaign are urgent.
Organizations such as the New York State United Teachers and the New York State Nurses Association, among others, have actively endorsed the call for higher taxes on billionaires.
Salazar believes that labor unions in New York City are poised to play a pivotal role in advocating for the
image source from：jacobin
