Queens Furious Over Mamdani’s Planned Tax Hike

Adriana Stone 0 1 min read

Queens Furious Over Mamdani’s Planned Tax Hike

People in Queens showed up angry. They came ready to tell Mayor Zohran Mamdani what they think. The issue: a proposed property tax increase that could hit homeowners hard.

Mamdani campaigned on big promises. Affordable housing. Expanded services. Free this and that. Now a $5.4 billion gap has appeared. Options are slim. Either Albany taxes the wealthy or the city raises property taxes by about 9.5 percent. Governor Kathy Hochul, officials say, won’t take that route.

The tone at the meeting was blunt. Homeowners made it personal. One said exactly this: “I don’t plan to move. It’s my home. I’m not leaving,” said homeowner Vivian Campbell.

Others were harsher. “Mayor Zohran Mamdani you, are out your goddamn mind?” said homeowner, James Johnson.

And a plea from a neighbor hit the point: “To the mayor, with the greatest respect, and every campaign speech and every debate where you engaged, we opened our ears to listen,” said homeowner, Pierry Benjamin. “Now today, accept the words echoing from us now, do your job as mayor and leave our taxes out.”

This is a classic political moment. Big promises meet fiscal math. Voters expected one thing. The bill looks different.

For many middle-class homeowners, a near-double-digit tax increase is not abstract. It’s a check they’ll write. It’s a budget recalculation. People told reporters they feel betrayed.

Political fallout is inevitable. Local leaders will have to choose who pays. They can push for higher taxes on the wealthy in Albany. Or they can pass the increase to property owners. Either path has consequences.

Residents in Queens want answers. They want priorities tightened. They want tax relief. They want Mamdani to own the trade-offs he promised wouldn’t be needed.

Watch the reactions and judge for yourself.

One thing is clear: campaign rhetoric met reality. The question now is who will pay the price.

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