New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is preparing a months-long campaign to push for sweeping tax increases at both the state and city levels, with plans to lobby Albany for higher taxes on wealthy residents and corporations while reviving efforts to overhaul—and potentially increase—New York City’s property taxes, according to sources familiar with the strategy.
Sources told The New York Post that the campaign is expected to begin shortly after Labor Day with a large rally designed to build momentum ahead of the 2027 legislative session in Albany. The effort is also timed to coincide with the final months of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s re-election campaign.
According to those familiar with the discussions, Mamdani and his allies hope to secure “tax the rich” legislation as soon as lawmakers return to Albany, with proposals expected to include higher income taxes on wealthy New Yorkers and expanded taxes on corporations.
At the same time, the mayor is reportedly revisiting his proposal to increase revenue from city property owners as part of a broader effort to reform New York City’s long-criticized property tax system—an issue that has long been viewed as politically difficult because of its potential impact on homeowners across the city.
“Property tax reform has been a third rail for mayor after mayor because it is essentially a massive tax increase for many Black and brown homeowners,” an incredulous Democratic insider said.
“The fact that Mamdani is looking to go ahead with this plan is just further proof that his base and his background do not understand the historic economic struggles of those communities, nor apparently care about their vote.”
Sources said many of the mayor’s specific tax proposals are still being developed and have not yet been finalized.
The renewed push comes even after Albany recently approved measures that provided financial assistance to New York City while also giving Mamdani a policy victory by approving a pied-à-terre tax on luxury second homes in the city.
Earlier this year, after Mamdani called for higher taxes on wealthy residents, he also floated the possibility of increasing citywide property taxes by nearly 10%, a proposal that quickly drew criticism from several prominent minority elected officials.
Among the most outspoken critics was Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, who this week accused members of the Democratic Socialists of America of promoting “white supremacy.”
Mamdani ultimately closed New York City’s $126 billion budget through a combination of temporary revenue measures and relatively modest spending reductions, though critics argue that doing so left significant financial challenges for future budgets.
According to sources, the mayor’s broader tax strategy has two principal objectives. The first focuses on persuading Albany to approve higher income and corporate taxes.
Those sources said Mamdani intends to press Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins to advance legislation raising taxes on high-income earners, while allowing legislative leaders to determine the specific details of the proposals.
His administration also plans to rely on extensive grassroots organizing—including support from Democratic Socialists of America volunteers—to increase political pressure on state lawmakers as the legislative session begins Jan. 1, according to the sources.
The effort could further strain relations between Mamdani and Hochul, who has thus far resisted calls from progressive activists and the mayor to approve broader tax increases on wealthy New Yorkers.
One individual described as a close Mamdani ally predicted tensions between the mayor and governor are likely to grow if Hochul continues rejecting those proposals.
Responding to the expected pressure campaign, a spokesperson for Hochul said the governor’s decisions would not be driven by ideology or political activism.
“Governor Hochul doesn’t make decisions based on ideology or political pressure,” the spokesperson said. “She makes decisions based on what’s best for New Yorkers. When additional revenue is necessary to solve a real problem, she’ll consider every responsible option.
“But she doesn’t believe higher taxes are a goal in themselves, and she won’t support policies that make it harder for families, workers, or employers to stay and succeed in New York.”
The second part of Mamdani’s agenda is expected to focus on reforming New York City’s property tax structure, an issue that has been debated for decades by officials across the political spectrum.
Critics of the existing system argue it produces inconsistent tax burdens, often favoring single-family homes over apartment buildings, assigning lower effective tax rates to expensive Brooklyn brownstones than to similar homes in Queens, and benefiting many homeowners in predominantly white neighborhoods.
At the same time, reforming the system has proven politically difficult because any significant changes would inevitably shift tax burdens among neighborhoods, including many with large Black populations.
According to the report, the proposed restructuring alone would not generate additional revenue, leading Mamdani’s team to also consider higher taxes on residential and commercial properties.
A Latina Democratic insider said many minority elected officials remain concerned that the mayor and his allies underestimate the effect such proposals could have on their communities.
“Clearly the mayor is still learning what his job is and what he has the legal authority to do, but I’ll make it simple for them: he can’t raise property taxes on New Yorkers without the approval of the City Council and he can’t raise income and corporate taxes without the approval of the governor,” a Latina Democratic insider said.
“He isn’t gonna get either. But good to know he continues to be focused on screwing over black and brown New Yorkers, who would be hit the hardest by property tax increases.”
{Matzav.com}