Zohran Mamdani had little to say when asked during Thursday night’s mayoral debate how he would cover the cost of his $10 billion in freebies for his socialist agenda — as Gov. Kathy Hochul has insisted she will not raise taxes.
“Look, a lot of people have called even my campaign a non-starter when we first again and now I stand before you proud to be the Democratic nominee who got the most votes in city primary history,” Mamdani said, dodging the question.
Zohran Mamdani had little to say when asked how he would cover the cost of his $10 billion in freebies for his socialist agenda, with Gov. Kathy Hochul saying she will not raise income tax. NBC
Pressed again, the far-left candidate provided scant details on how he’d scrounge up what amounts nearly 10% of the current city budget to pay for his campaign proposals.
“We have also put forward a plan to save money here in New York City,” he said.
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Mamdani’s pillar of his campaign promises has been to raise taxes on people making more than $1 million and corporate taxes.
His top policy proposal for free universal childcare would come a staggering price tag of $5 to $6 billion alone.
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Hochul has repeatedly said that she has no intention of raising taxes as she is heading into her own election cycle next year, when she is expected to face a bruising challenge from Republican North Country Rep. Elise Stefanik.
Mamdani also faced heat from Cuomo over another one of his hallmark campaign proposals — freezing rent on the about 960,600 rent-stabilized apartments in the city.
Cuomo took umbrage with Mamdani’s plan to freeze rents. AP
Cuomo charged that Mamdani’s “freeze the rent” plan is half-baked and doesn’t deal with all aspects of the city’s housing crisis.
“Freeze the rent only postpones the rent,” Cuomo said.
He also pointed out that freezing rent for rent stabilized apartments doesn’t help other renters and homeowners being squeezed out of their neighborhoods.
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Mamdani was also pushed by the moderators as to why he’s calling for freezing the rent without seeing the most recent data on the city’s rent stabilized apartments.
Asked how much they pay in rent each month, Mamdani said $2,300, Cuomo, $7,800. Sliwa says he has a $3,900 mortgage.
Mamdani tried to avoid answering how he would cover the cost of his agenda. Getty Images
At the Mamdani campaign watch party at East Village bar d.b.a no one was listening as Cuomo explained the procedure of how rent freezes actually work.
And no one was paying attention either as Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa is addressing NYCHA apartments that would not be covered by Mamdani’s plan to freeze rents.
People were chatting among themselves and generally only paying attention when Mamdani spoke.
WNBC hosted the first debate of the general mayoral election at 30 Rockefeller Center.
The three candidates will face-off again next Wednesday for a debate aired by Spectrum NY1.