Mamdani, like most Dem's, promised lots of free stuff using other people's money to get elected. Now he has to deliver.
Unlike the Feds, NYC cannot print money. They have to operate within their revenue and
NYC already has a budget shortfall in the billions
The Wall Street Journal published an article about the cost of Mamdani's promises and the plan to pay for it.
https://www.wsj.com/us-news/the-economic...s-71551f5a
Here are the highlights:
Revenue
1. Raise the highest state corporate tax rate from 7.25% to 11.5% and generate - per Mandani's campaign- $5 billion dollars.
a. Approval needed from State of NY
b. no explanation given about how the money would flow back to NYC from the State
c. Creates incentive for businesses to leave and/or raise prices in NYC and not necessarily elsewhere. T"he overwhelming majority of New York’s corporate tax revenue stems from a small percentage of corporations...." My aside: tax revenue could take a major hit with just a few firms exiting NYC. Remember, public firms have a fiduciary duty to take actions to increase shareholder value. They will have to justify how paying more taxes when other alternatives are available are in the shareholders financial interest.
d. My aside: Corporate taxes revenues are volatile because they are highly dependent on profitability. An economic downtown will almost certainly result in less tax revenue.
2. "Millionaire's Tax" - $4 billion according to Mamdani campaign
a. "Mamdani’s proposal would make the combined city and state personal income-tax rate the highest in the country for those earning a little over $1 million..."
b. Approval needed from State of NY
c. Creates an incentive for the targeted people to leave
d. Income tax revenues are volatile because they are highly dependent on amount of income. An economic downtown or stock market decline will almost certainly result in less tax revenue.
Costs:
1. Universal child care - $6 billion annually according to Mamdani campaign. Other cost estimates range up to $9.5 billion.
2. New rent stabilized units - $7 billion annual for ten years
a. "The $70 billion borrowing plan exceeds the city’s current debt limit". State of NY approval needed to raise the debt limit.
b. Bond interest rates could potentially increase.
3. Rent freeze on rent-stabilized units - eventual annual cost could be around $3 billion
a. Creates incentive for landlords to take units off the market or provide less maintenance and upkeep.
4. Fast and free buses - about $800,000,000 annually per Mamdani campaign. "MTA CEO Janno Lieber has said the cost of free buses could start approaching $1 billion annually in the next several years."
a. A $3 billion recurring budget MTA shortfall already exists
My aside: If you see a revenue/cost matching problem, it is not your imagination. Using the article's figures, total projected annual revenue increases (assuming no one leaves and no economic downturn) is $9 billion while total projected annual expenses are at least $13.8 billion and very likely more.