SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The TaxMam cometh.
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani was spotted rubbing elbows in Puerto Rico on Friday with state legislative leaders, who hailed him as the “man of the hour” — as the Democratic socialist took jabs at President Trump and doubled down on his pledge to take on his “authoritarian” administration.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins hosted a reception during the annual SOMOS conference, where Mamdani was among those palling around with the very lawmakers he’ll need to make his “tax the rich” dreams come true.
“We’ve had to face opposition on our way here; some of that opposition can total tens of millions of dollars,” the 34-year-old Assemblyman quipped to the large crowd of longtime pols.
“What we have seen time and time again is the very voters we have read obituaries of leaving the Democratic party, can be won back if we actually treat them with the respect and recognition that they deserve,” he added, seemingly knocking the Democratic party’s inability to connect with voters.
Mamdani urged the crowd to join forces as “partners” to prove to New Yorkers that the Democratic Party can deliver real improvements while restoring their faith in government “lost a long time ago.”
“Because in this moment lies that opportunity to address both the authoritarian administration in Washington, DC, and the affordability crisis that has ravaged our city,” the Ugandan-born pol pressed.
“And I look forward to doing so with the incredible leaders that have been fighting for this very thing in the one-house budgets you can see every single year in Albany, and to be the partner coming from New York City who works together to amplify that work and, most importantly, deliver on that work.”
Heastie introduced Mamdani as the “man of the hour” and “the most important guy in the world,” joking that all the “good things” the mayor-elect knows, he learned from him — with Mamdani later teasing that he was “really proud” of himself for introducing the influential Bronx lawmaker to Prince’s music.
“The message of caring about people actually trumps, and pun intended, trumps the bulls–t,” said Heastie, one of New York’s most powerful Democrats, who later told reporters the assembly will throw its support behind helping Mamdani achieve his “tax the rich” agenda.
“We want to help him in his agenda, and we’ll talk about it. I think it’s a global conversation that we’re going to have to have about how to best do right by the people of the state of New York and also try to help the mayor-elect in his agenda.”
Stewart-Cousins also boasted about the newfound partnership between the state legislature’s chambers, Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mamdani.
“We know that el momento is nuestro — the moment is ours,” the longtime state senator said.
“We know the assignment, but there’s never been more unity between both houses, the governor, the attorney general, and of course, our amazing partner who’s leading New York City.”
The incoming democratic socialist mayor told The Post his historic election Tuesday showed New Yorkers will support his plans to hike taxes on millionaires and corporations.
“I think what we see is an unparalleled excitement, and finally putting forward an affirmative vision — the affordability agenda — and the necessity of funding that agenda,” he said earlier Friday, at the Islamic Center Montehiedra, a mosque in San Juan.
“I think these are two tax proposals that make sense.”
Mamdani wants to impose a 2% income tax on New York City residents who make more than $1 million a year and hike the corporate tax from 7.25% to 11.5%, the same as in New Jersey.
Doing so would pay the lion’s share of Mamdani’s freebie-filled promises to provide no-cost child care, free buses and more, he argues.
But Mamdani said that he won’t be so rigid when it comes to how to fund his $10 billion plans.
“I’m also open to any proposal that would fund it at the end,” he told The Post.
Mamdani’s vision of having the wealthy foot the bill for his proposals has received resistance from his erstwhile ally, Gov. Kathy Hochul, who argued it would drive rich New Yorkers and businesses from the state.
Hochul’s stance has led to awkward confrontations in which Mamdani supporters have chanted “tax the rich” at her, including at SOMOS.
“The more you push me, the more I’m not going to do what you want,” Hochul warned the raucous crowd outside the El Caribe Hilton Thursday night.
Heastie and Stewart-Cousins have shown more openness toward soaking the rich.
The Assembly speaker bluntly said in September that he would wield his influence in Albany to tax the rich.
“Millionaire taxes poll extremely well,” he said at the time.
Stewart-Cousins hasn’t explicitly said she supports Mamdani’s plans, but she and state senators have included provisions to increase taxes on the rich in their largely symbolic one-house budget proposals.
Many Democrats in Albany have also been increasingly vocal that they’re open to Mamdani’s tax increases.
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