At a news conference on Wednesday, Oct. 28, Gov. Kathy Hochul did not clearly answer when asked whether she would accede to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's calls to "tax the rich" if she is reelected. As recently as July, Hochul said she opposed raising taxes on high earners and businesses, the New York Post reported.
At a news conference at her Midtown Manhattan office on Wednesday, Oct. 28, Gov. Kathy Hochul did not give a clear answer when asked whether, if reelected, she would join the "tax the rich" push that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has been advocating. According to the New York Post, Hochul neither ruled out tax increases nor said she would pursue them. New York's midterm election is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Asked whether the outcome of the race hinges on Mamdani's support, Hochul said, "A year ago I campaigned with the mayor, and this time I'm grateful that the mayor is returning the favor." Pressed repeatedly on whether she would give Mamdani more next year, she said, "There is no price tag on supporting each other," adding that she will keep working together in areas where they agree. The questions also referred to the state's support this year, during Mamdani's first budget season, for measures such as a tax on high-priced second homes (pied-à-terre) in New York City.
That is a departure from her position just a few months ago. In a July interview with FOX 5, Hochul said, "You should not raise taxes on high-net-worth individuals," and she also opposed tax increases on businesses that create jobs and pay taxes. In May, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), a democratic socialist organization, issued a statement sharply criticizing Hochul for not supporting Mamdani's tax on the wealthy.
Mamdani campaigned with Hochul for the first time at a Brooklyn campaign stop on Friday, Oct. 23, and at a luncheon event on Sunday, Oct. 25. At a Brooklyn news conference on Wednesday, Oct. 28, he said, "I'm really happy to be campaigning for reelection alongside Gov. Hochul," and said the free child care program would not have been possible without the governor's support. There were also reports that Mamdani supporters booed Hochul several times at the joint events. Hochul told Politico Magazine, "His supporters probably aren't happy to see us standing side by side."
In one poll cited in the original report, Hochul led her opponent, Bruce Blakeman, 54% to 40%, a margin of about 14 percentage points. Blakeman's campaign recently released a TV ad saying, "Hochul raised taxes before, and she will do it again." The governor's race is decided by New York State voters, and the vote in New York City, which accounts for many of those voters, is one pillar of Hochul's reelection strategy.