Zohran Mamdani, the presumptive Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, defended his controversial proposal on Sunday to raise property taxes in what he described as "richer and whiter neighborhoods," while also stating that billionaires should not exist, in an interview with NBC on Sunday.
Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press, Mamdani pushed back against criticism that his tax platform was racially motivated, despite explicitly referencing white homeowners in his campaign materials. He argued that the proposal was based on an economic analysis of who bears the city's tax burden.
"That is just a description of what we see right now. It's not driven by race. It's more of an assessment of what neighborhoods are being under-taxed versus over-taxed," Mamdani said.
The candidate cited the longstanding inequities in New York's property tax system, adding that Mayor Eric Adams had also promised reforms during his campaign, though those changes have yet to materialize.
Mamdani appeared unfazed by suggestions that referencing race could alienate voters. “I’m just naming things as they are,” he said.
Concerned over New York's shrinking tax base
Mamdani also expressed concern over New York’s shrinking tax base, attributing the trend to the high cost of living, which he said is forcing many residents to relocate to neighboring states such as New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.
“We are talking about our tax base growing smaller and smaller each day,” Mamdani said. “If we do not meet this moment, we will lose the city.”
While acknowledging that significant tax increases would require approval from the state legislature, Mamdani said his goal is to change public expectations around what is politically possible. “We take what is considered a nonstarter and make it seem inevitable,” he said.
He also made clear his broader ideological stance on extreme wealth, saying: “I don’t think that we should have billionaires, frankly.”
New York City currently has 123 billionaires, the highest number of any city in the world.