Tag: new york

Mamdani’s ‘Balanced Budget’ Is an Accounting Atrocity

In mid-May, after extending the executive deadline, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani released his $124.7 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Executive Budget. 

After warning that NYC faces a budget crisis of “historic magnitude” in late April, Mamdani now assures the 8.5 million residents of the Big Apple that the city is on “firm financial footing” after he “balanced the budget” “without raising property taxes” or “slashing services.”

While it is certainly true that Mamdani did not slash services or raise property taxes even higher than they already are, it is ludicrous for him to declare that NYC’s budget is sound and sustainable.

Aside from Mamdani’s smoke-and-mirrors budget summary, the harsh reality is that the Big Apple is bankrupt. 

According to NYC Comptroller Mark Levine, the “$2.2 billion budget shortfall for FY2026 and projected $10.4 billion gap for FY2027… is the first time since the Great Recession that the City faces a budget shortfall of this magnitude.”

Based on Mamdani’s “balanced budget,” the FY 2026 and FY 2027 deficits are no longer a concern. 

Much of the gap has been taken care of by what Mamdani calls a “partnership with Albany.” New Yorkers outside of the Big Apple call it a bailout.

“Thanks to Governor Kathy Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, the City secured an additional $4 billion in state support and actions to help stabilize the budget,” Mamdani bluntly put it.

However, Albany could not supply enough money to make the short-term math work.

Thus, Mamdani’s balanced budget relies upon accounting gimmicks and “new tax revenue.”

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Zohran Mamdani Wants NYC to Spend $4.2 BILLION on Services for the Homeless After Claiming City is in ‘Historic’ Budget Crisis

In April, New York City’s new Democratic Socialist (communist) Mayor Zohran Mamdani, claimed that the city was facing a ‘historic’ budget crisis.

Now, he wants to spend $4.2 billion on services for the homeless. So which is it? Does a city in a budget crisis have that kind of cash to spend on homeless services?

Also, does anyone believe there will be any drop in the number of homeless people after he does this? The number could actually go up as a result once it becomes known that the city has money to burn on this.

The New York Post reports:

Mamdani wants to spend stunning $4.2B on NYC homeless services — more than during crippling migrant crisis

Mayor Zohran Mamdani plans to spend more money on homeless services next year than his predecessor Eric Adams did during the height of the city’s migrant crisis — proposing a $4.2 billion budget for the agency in 2027.

Mamdani’s plan was rolled out in his latest budget proposal last week, which sought to hike the Department of Homeless Services’ budget by $700 million, from $3.5 billion for 2026 to the towering $4.2 billion sum.

That would be $100 million more than the $4.1 billion budget DHS hit in 2024, at the height of the migrant crisis when the city’s shelter system was housing a peak of about 69,000 asylum seekers.

Then-Mayor Adams had budgeted $2.4 billion for DHS in 2023 — but that number ended up rising to $3.5 billion as the new arrivals ramped up , straining the city system.

More than 230,000 asylum seekers ended up cycling through the Big Apple during the crisis, which began in the spring of 2022. The homeless services department budget was $2.3 billion that year, the first of Adams’ tenure.

How many people working to ‘solve’ the homeless problem will get rich off of this? We have seen that happen in Los Angeles and other cities.

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Mamdani Approves ‘Journalists’ for Mangione Trial, But They’re So Hateful, Even Mangione Disavows Them

Two “fans” of an accused murderer made statements so outrageous this week that even the defendant disavowed them.

Ashley Rojas and Lena Weissbrot call themselves “Mangionistas” on social media, a nod to Luigi Mangione, the young man accused of gunning down United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a pre-dawn attack on Dec. 4, 2024.

In a video interview with the New York Daily News Monday, the two voiced disdain for Thompson and expressed glee over the insurance executive’s death, saying Thompson’s children “are better off without him.”

“I’m saying f*** Brian Thompson. I don’t give a f*** he died,” Rojas told the Daily News.

Weissbrot then taunted the victim’s family.

“His children are better off without him,” she said. “They need to learn to not be like their dad. And enjoy the blood money, kids.”

“He’s responsible for more deaths than Osama bin Laden,” Weissbrot added, comparing Thompson to the Al Qaeda leader responsible for the 9/11 terror attacks, “and I remember Americans celebrating when Osama bin Laden was killed. It’s not like we don’t understand heroic violence or when violence is good. That’s, like, as American as America gets.”

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New York Governor Signs Bills To Preserve Mandatory Vaccines

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed legislation to preserve vaccine requirements for children.

Hochul, on May 15, signed two bills that decouple New York’s vaccine requirements from the federal government, after the Trump administration rolled back recommendations for hepatitis B and other vaccines.

“When public health comes under attack by an anti-science administration, New York fights back,” Hochul, a Democrat, said in a statement.

She added that the legislation “protects access to lifesaving vaccines for New Yorkers of all ages.”

One bill, Assembly Bill 10711, removes language about vaccines needing to be approved by federal regulators. Instead, it says that children must receive vaccines against measles, hepatitis B, and other diseases “in accordance with regulations issued by the commissioner of health of New York.”

Assembly Bill 10710, the other piece of legislation, requires health insurers to cover vaccines recommended by New York’s health commissioner, even if the shots are not recommended by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

New York has, in the past, only mandated vaccines approved and recommended by federal health agencies.

“Vaccines remain one of the greatest public health tools in history, protecting individuals, families, and entire communities from serious and preventable diseases,” New York Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said in a statement.

“At a time when misinformation is undermining confidence in science, this legislation reinforces New York State’s commitment to following trusted medical guidance and keeping New Yorkers healthy.”

The Trump administration has narrowed its recommendations for vaccines against several diseases, including COVID-19, hepatitis B, and rotavirus.

The biggest changes came after President Donald Trump issued an order directing officials to review recommendations from other countries and update U.S. recommendations as appropriate in light of the results of the review.

A federal judge in mid-March blocked the updates, concluding that officials did not follow proper procedure when altering the vaccine recommendations.

The Trump administration has appealed.

New York Democratic lawmakers who authored or voted for the bills Hochul signed hailed the development.

“In an era where federal health officials are undermining scientific integrity and sowing skepticism about lifesaving vaccines, New York is making the conscious choice to champion our medical professionals and reaffirm this state’s commitment to the evidence-based practices that have safeguarded communities for generations,” New York Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said in a statement.

Children’s Health Defense, an organization founded by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., was among the groups that opposed the legislation.

Michael Kane, director of advocacy for Children’s Health Defense, told The Epoch Times previously that one of the bills would enable the state to require experimental vaccines, as it removed language stating that vaccines needed federal approval.

“It would also allow for foreign entities to determine what vaccines our children must take,” Kane said.

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TOTAL PSYCHOS: Credentialed Female ‘Journalists’ Show Up to Fangirl Alleged Murderer Luigi Mangione at Hearing 

A group of credentialed female journalists showed up at hearing in New York City today for alleged killer Luigi Mangione and made it quite clear that they are fans of the young alleged assassin.

One of the more sickening developments of the last two years has been watching the left turn Mangione into some sort of folk hero.

Watching these female journalists talk is like going back in history to the days of the Manson Girls, who showed up at the trials of Charles Manson to show their support for him.

The New York Post reports:

Bloodthirsty Luigi Mangione fangirls unapologetically celebrate CEO’s assassination: ‘F—k Brian Thompson,’ ‘His children are better off without him’

A trio of bloodthirsty fans of accused assassin Luigi Mangione — who were granted press passes by City Hall — spouted vile hate and unapologetic calls for political violence from a Manhattan courthouse steps Monday.

Self-proclaimed “Mangionistas” Abril Rios, Ashley Rojas and Lena Weissbrot proudly showed off the passes they received from Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration, apparently for their online content documenting Mangione’s upcoming trial for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

But the credentialed “reporters” chillingly made no bones about supporting Mangione’s alleged vendetta to strike fear into the hearts of healthcare executives such as Thompson.

Weissbrot, clad in a garish neon green, pink and purple striped ensemble, chimed in with an even more reprehensible response.

“His children are better off without him,” she said about the victim. “They need to learn to not be like their dad. And enjoy the blood money, kids.

“He’s responsible for more deaths than Osama bin Laden, and I remember Americans celebrating when Osama bin Laden was killed. It’s not like we don’t understand heroic violence, or, like, when violence is good.”

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Democrat NY Congressional Candidate Backed by Radical Mamdani Pushing “Trans Bill of Rights”- Wants Taxpayers to Foot the Bill for Surgeries, Housing and More

Radical New York State Assemblymember Claire Valdez, a longtime leader in NYC-DSA (Democratic Socialists of America) and backed by Marxist NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani,  is running in the Democratic primary for New York’s 7th congressional district.

Valdez is making sure that ‘trans rights’ are front and center in her campaign.

In an interview released on Friday, Valdez told podcast host Mike from PA, “When we talk about trans rights and bodily autonomy and we talk about universal programs like social housing, like Medicare for all, like all of these programs, you know, we know that trans people, and trans youth especially, are often the highest at risk for homelessness, retaliation at their jobs.”

“So we have to be focused, really enshrining their rights within universal programs and making sure that Medicare for All includes gender-affirming care and health care for trans folks.”

“We need to make sure that we’re enshrining their rights in a Trans Bill of Rights and in workplaces.”

“And making sure that there’s real housing that is available, you know, for everyone, but especially trans people who are most at risk of being homeless or kicked out of their homes.”

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Hantavirus Case Reported at NY High School Not Linked to Deadly Cruise Ship Outbreak

Health officials in Ontario County, New York, are investigating a suspected case of hantavirus involving a student at Geneva High School, just after a deadly hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship sparked international concerns about a COVID-2.0 scenario.

According to health officials, the case is not connected to the rare Andes strain that killed three passengers aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship and prompted the quarantine of 18 Americans, including three New Yorkers.

Officials emphasize this is a locally acquired infection typical of the hantavirus strains already present in the United States, and there is no evidence of risk to other students, staff, or the general public.

The Ontario County Department of Health received the alert Thursday morning.

Geneva City Schools sent a letter to parents Friday afternoon confirming the investigation and reassuring families that the situation poses no threat to the school community.

“The Ontario County Department of Health is investigating a suspected case of locally acquired hantavirus involving a Geneva High School student,” the district said in the announcement. “The Department of Health has advised that there is no evidence of risk to other students or staff related to this situation. Health officials have also emphasized that this situation is not tied to the hantavirus strain currently receiving national media attention.”

Ontario County Public Health Director Kate Ott described the timing as “horrible” given the ongoing national attention to the cruise ship outbreak, but stressed that the student’s symptoms have been mild fatigue, aches, and lethargy for several weeks, according to a report from local station WHAM.

“We thought surely this can’t be Hantavirus in relation to what’s going on in the media at this time,” Ott said.

“The case is mild, and hantavirus is not always mild,” Ott added. “It can be really severe, so we’re really grateful for that.”

She noted this is only the second suspected hantavirus case in Ontario County in the past two decades.

The student is not required to quarantine.

Officials are urging residents to take standard precautions when cleaning areas that may have rodent droppings, such as attics, cabins, sheds, and garages, by wearing masks and gloves and wetting down debris before sweeping to avoid aerosolizing particles.

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Hochul forks over another $4B to bail out Mamdani’s NYC budget woes as she faces intense election pressure

Look what the Kat dragged in.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled a whopping $124.7 billion executive budget for New York City on Tuesday – built on the back of $4 billion in funny money from Gov. Kathy Hochul.

The governor’s bailout – announced hours before the city budget’s reveal – was quickly criticized as a fiction used to help out her reluctant ally Mamdani as she faces re-election and pressure to appease the lefty mayor’s comrades.

Mamdani, for his part, got to save face by backing away from his months-old threats to impose a nearly 10% property tax hike and drain the city’s reserves to help close a reputed $5.4 billion budget gap – both of which he warned would be necessary if his “tax the rich” dreams evaporated.

“Only fools believed our young mayor would follow through on a property tax hike and service cuts as his first act,” a New York City Democratic strategist said.

“The threat was tactical chess. The Governor blinked, so the gambit worked but he may have bankrupted his own credibility in the process.”

The supposed state assistance largely consisted of kick-the-can measures delaying massive spending, namely a move to restructure $2.2 billion in pension plan payments.

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Communist Mamdani’s Latest Redistribution Scheme: Tax On All New York Homes Over $1 Million Bought With Cash

Two days ago crestfallen commie mayor Zohran Mamdani abandoned his desperate plan to aggressively hike property taxes (even more) on New Yorkers following unprecedented pushback (but not before earning the former capitalist mecca a credit rating downgrade warning from most rating agencies). However, since communists who are not redistributing wealth (eventually under the barrel of a gun) are useless communists, it only took Mamdani administration 48 hours before pitching his latest idea how to take: according to Bloomberg, New York lawmakers are planning a new tax on New York City homes purchased in cash for at least $1 million.  The lawmakers are also considering expanding the tax to all-cash purchases over $1 million in New York, including those in the suburbs and upstate.

The New York City levy alone is expected to raise $160 million to help fill the city’s budget hole. The proposed tax would be levied at 1% of the purchase price and would be paid by the buyer, according to the people. 

A spokesperson for Governor Kathy Hochul said she “announced a general agreement with the State Legislature on many of the major elements of the FY 2027 Budget. The final budget bills will provide additional details.”

All-cash transactions have risen in New York as soaring mortgage costs have deterred financing, and instead buyers opt to be hit with capital gains taxes and liquidated other securities to fund real estate purchases. They are also an attractive option for sellers in New York City’s ultra-competitive real estate market as it’s faster than dealing with the lengthy mortgage approval process, and less likely to fall through.

Such purchases made up more than 60% of the nearly 18,000 transactions in New York City in the first six months of 2025, according to data compiled by the Center for New York City Neighborhoods. The report found that in Manhattan, nine out of 10 purchases over $3 million were done in all-cash transactions between January and June of 2025.

New York Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said the tax would be included in the final budget as “part of the plan to help close the city’s deficit.” State Senator James Skoufis, who sits on the chamber’s finance committee, also said in an interview the new levy was discussed.

Mamdani unveiled his $124.7 billion budget plan for the fiscal year that starts on July 1 that includes more assistance from Albany. He is also counting on funds from a proposed tax on second homes worth more than $5 million that state and city lawmakers are still figuring out how to implement. Hochul said the state will send $4 billion in new aid to the city to help close the budget hole.

“New Yorkers are already the most heavily taxed residents in the country, and the city’s budget issues will not be solved by more taxes,” said James Whelan, president of the Real Estate Board of New York. He said that the new proposal would further burden home buyers and sellers in the city and threaten existing revenue. 

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Mamdani Brags He Eliminated NYC’s $12 Billion Budget Deficit, But Then a New York Outlet Dug Into the Numbers

On Tuesday morning, New York City’s ultra-progressive mayor, Zohran Mamdani, took to X to take quite a boastful victory lap.

“When we came into office, we uncovered a $12 billion budget deficit,” Mamdani posted to X. “Today, I’m proud to say we brought it down to zero.”

“We didn’t close the gap on the backs of working people,” he continued. “We closed it while funding parks, libraries, safer streets and making historic investments in public housing. Call it Pothole Politics. Call it Democratic Socialism. It’s government that delivers for the people who make this city run.”

“That’s what New Yorkers deserve. And that’s what we will keep fighting for every single day.”

In a vacuum, this certainly sounded like it should’ve been a good Tuesday for NYC residents. But shortly after Mamdani’s post went up, the New York Post came out with a blistering rebuttal of Mamdani’s claims — and a much closer look at the numbers that Mamdani largely avoided delving into.

Blasted for including “a menu of hidden fee hikes” in his budget plan, the outlet pointed out that this deficit “fix” from Mamdani was anything but.

And notably, some of the harshest criticisms lobbied against Mamdani came from a fellow Democrat.

“Banking on yet to be determined revenue-raising gimmicks and identifying fake savings are not wins,” an unnamed Democratic operative told the New York outlet.

The operative savagely added, “This budget plan is as real as Kim Kardashian’s lips.”

So why is this budget plan so inauthentic?

Critics argue that the holes in Mamdani’s budget vision become glaringly obvious once you look beyond the lofty rhetoric and into the actual revenue proposals being floated by City Hall.

According to city budget documents cited by the New York Post, officials are eyeing a laundry list of new fees, fines, and enforcement crackdowns to help plug fiscal gaps.

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