The New York Budgets

Tag: Zohran Mamdani

  • Grocery Chain CEO and Real Estate Titan Warn Socialist Mayoral Frontrunner Could ‘Destroy’ New York

    Grocery Chain CEO and Real Estate Titan Warn Socialist Mayoral Frontrunner Could ‘Destroy’ New York

    Former Douglas Elliman CEO Dottie Herman and Stew Leonard’s President and CEO Stew Leonard Jr. speak with Fox News Digital about their opposition to NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s policies. (Fox Business)

    NEW YORK CITY — As Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani surges to the front of New York City’s mayoral race following his historic primary victory, prominent figures in business and real estate are sounding the alarm, warning that his radical proposals could cripple the city’s economy and chase away its wealth base.

    From government-run grocery stores to punitive housing regulations and higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy, Mamdani’s progressive platform is drawing fierce criticism from two of New York’s most recognizable business leaders: Stew Leonard Jr., CEO of the regional grocery empire Stew Leonard’s, and Dottie Herman, Vice Chair of Douglas Elliman and one of Forbes’ wealthiest self-made women in real estate.

    “You’re in a street fight if you get into the food business,” said Leonard in an interview with Fox News Digital. “You gotta be in there with sharp prices, fresher product, friendlier people… Can the government do that? I don’t know.”

    Leonard, who operates eight food stores and eight wine and spirit outlets across the Tri-State area, questioned the feasibility of Mamdani’s city-run supermarket proposal, which aims to sell food at wholesale prices. The idea is part of a broader vision that includes a citywide rent freeze, construction of 200,000 affordable units over ten years, and tighter enforcement on “bad landlords.”

    “It’s seven days a week. Weekends are the busiest. If you’re paying $200 to $300 per square foot along Second Avenue, you need serious volume to make it work,” Leonard added. “Margins in food are razor-thin. Everyone eats, yes, but it’s still one of the toughest industries in the country.”

    For Dottie Herman, the implications go beyond groceries—she sees Mamdani’s economic approach as an existential threat to the city’s future.

    “I never talk about politics, but I am talking now because I really don’t want to see New York destroyed,” Herman said. “I believe with every breath of me, that if he gets in, we will be in a socialized country.”

    Citing rising fear among developers and property investors, Herman shared that some clients are already reconsidering multimillion-dollar deals out of concern for punitive taxes and hostile business conditions.

    “I’ve had people call me asking if they should cancel contracts on development sites in New York City,” she said. “People are scared. You’re going to discourage anyone from investing in rental property, and values will fall. That’s what happens when you tell people, ‘We’ll just take it from the rich.’”

    Mamdani, who currently represents Astoria and Long Island City in the State Assembly, gained national attention after winning more votes in the primary than any candidate in the city’s history. His campaign site outlines a platform that includes raising the corporate tax rate to 11.5% and implementing a 2% flat tax on the city’s wealthiest residents—moves that would require state legislative approval and signoff from Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has expressed concern about affordability and capital flight.

    Mamdani’s platform also pushes for public control of grocery access, rent freezes, and an aggressive reworking of landlord-tenant laws—all in the name of housing and food equity.

    While progressive circles and some younger millionaires have cheered his vision, established business figures worry his policies will bring economic instability, capital outflow, and unintended market disruption.

    “The key to this business is freshness,” Leonard added. “Are you going to eliminate dyes, hormones, sugar, and antibiotics from your entire government inventory? That’s what I’ve done. But that drives up costs.”

    With New York’s real estate market already facing tight inventory and slowing sales volumes, Herman warned that Mamdani’s proposed crackdown on landlords and tax hikes could lead to a broader investment freeze.

    “If people can’t make money here, what business will come to New York?” she asked. “America is about the ability to grow and succeed, no matter where you start. That dream dies if the rules become punish-the-successful.”

    Herman also revealed that a number of business owners are organizing political fundraisers to counter Mamdani’s momentum, signaling growing concern in the city’s economic elite.

    The crowded mayoral race now pits Mamdani against rivals like former Governor Andrew Cuomo and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, raising speculation about whether the two centrist contenders might team up to create a unified front against the socialist frontrunner.

    “I think one of them has to step aside for the other,” Herman said. “Because if not, the vote splits, and we hand this city to someone who doesn’t understand how it actually runs.”

    Leonard, for his part, said that Mamdani’s victory would make him rethink expanding in New York City.

    “I’d struggle to open five new stores here right now,” he said. “It’s a real challenge—and this would only make it harder.”

    Despite the controversy, Mamdani’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

  • Mamdani’s anti-police stance spells crime and chaos for NYC — it’s part of his agenda

    Mamdani’s anti-police stance spells crime and chaos for NYC — it’s part of his agenda

    Zohran Mamdani claims he “no longer believes,” as he did just five years ago, that the New York City Police Department is a “wicked and corrupt” institution that must be “defunded” and “dismantled.” 

    He says he really didn’t mean it when he blamed “the police themselves” for “perpetrating an enormous amount” of violent crime, “especially with regard to sexual violence.”

    He insists he was misunderstood when he tweeted, “The NYPD is racist, anti-queer and a major threat to public safety.” 

    Bull. Mamdani will be a disaster for public safety in New York City if he becomes our mayor.

    A look at his agenda makes it crystal clear.

    First and worst of all, he’ll add no police officers to the force — and will cut the hours of those who remain.

    The NYPD’s 32,000-officer headcount is well below the 34,300 force of 2019, the safest year in more than 40 years. Index felony crimes are 26% higher today.

    The city has compensated for the reduced patrol strength via overtime, which pays for extra subway police patrols, arrest processing and investigations and keeping order at protests and public events.

    Yet Mamdani has long railed against police overtime and plans to eliminate it to fund his other programs — notably his Department of Community Safety.

    Reducing overtime without expanding the force means fewer police on the street, making the city less safe and more chaotic.

    Mamdani also remains full-steam-ahead on closing Rikers Island, which currently houses some 7,600 inmates — and replacing it with new borough-based jails containing room for just 4,100. (As a candidate for Assembly in 2020, he advocated building no Rikers replacement at all.)

    That will put thousands of the most dangerous repeat offenders in the city on the street, with 2,500 of them lodged in “supportive housing” in a neighborhood near you, under the aegis of Mamdani’s DCS.

    Mamdani has signed on to the Democratic Socialists of America’s “Agenda for Decarceration,” which calls for fully eliminating cash bail, repealing all mandatory minimum sentences, decriminalizing sex work and more. He has not repudiated those principles.

    We’ve seen this movie before: When the city released 2,000 Rikers inmates under “bail reform” in 2020, crime shot up by 20%. When we released another 2,000 during the COVID-19 pandemic, shootings and murders doubled.

    Now the city’s jail population stands at about 7,600, and crime has begun to slowly decrease.

    Mamdani’s decarceration agenda will reverse that progress, as he pressures DAs to release defendants and drop prosecution of minor crimes.

    His enforcement policies, too, will handcuff police instead of wrongdoers.

    Incredibly, Mamdani would halt NYPD response to domestic-violence calls, claiming that poor police training escalates such situations. He’d have social workers respond instead.

    He opposes any consequences for turnstile jumpers, thereby making farebeating legal. Why pay?

    Mamdani opposes involuntary commitment of those with mental illness — you know, the guy sleeping in the subway or ranting at imaginary demons on the street.

    “People should be allowed to make their own mental health care decisions,” no matter how delusional they are, he told The City.

    He’d further restrict City Hall’s limited cooperation with federal immigration enforcement — meaning that he would release illegal aliens convicted of violent crimes onto our streets without informing ICE.

    And a Mayor Mamdani would do lasting damage to public safety via the judges he appoints to the Criminal Court bench. 

    These judges, who set bail on criminal cases, will be taking their cues from the mayor — and will presumably be on board with his desire to basically do away with incarceration.

    Under state law, judges decide whether to set bail, and in what amount. What do you think Mamdani’s judges will do?

    And all of this is to say nothing about NYPD morale under a mayor who sees its officers as racist, homophobic sexual predators.

    Recruitment and retention are difficult now; just wait until Mamdani takes office.

    Politicians can normally be forgiven some of the stupid statements they’ve made in the past, when they were pandering to the public will (or their perception of it). 

    But Mamdani is no politician. He is a radical socialist and an anti-police ideologue.

    He truly believes what he said in 2020: When it comes to crime, he cares more about the 7,600 people in city jails — victims, he believes, of an evil capitalist system — than about the city’s 8.5 million law-abiding citizens.

    Under his watch, Rikers will close, jails will empty, criminals will walk free, police officers will be second-guessed and police patrols will decline.

    We’ll see fewer arrests made, fewer crimes solved and far more dangerous streets.

    But we’ll all be comrades in the glorious Democratic People’s Republic of New York City. 

    Jim Quinn was executive district attorney in the Queens District ­Attorney’s Office, where he served for 42 years.

  • Real Estate Inquiries by Wealthy New Yorkers into Florida Properties Jump 50% After Mamdani Primary Win

    Real Estate Inquiries by Wealthy New Yorkers into Florida Properties Jump 50% After Mamdani Primary Win

    The Sunshine State is once again capturing the attention—and investment—of New York’s wealthiest. In the wake of Zohran Mamdani’s surprise victory in New York City’s mayoral primary, real estate firms in Florida are reporting a 50% surge in inquiries from high-net-worth individuals and investors in the New York area.

    Mamdani, a far-left assembly member from Queens and a prominent figure in New York’s progressive movement, ran a campaign centered on bold reforms such as a citywide rent freeze, taxpayer-funded childcare, and “fast and free” public buses. His populist agenda garnered 565,639 votes, signaling a significant political shift—but also sparking unease among the city’s wealthiest residents and business community.

    “We’ve seen a clear uptick in demand across our portfolio since the primary,” said Daniel de la Vega, president of ONE Sotheby’s International Realty. “Website traffic from the New York area jumped 50% in just one week after the results came in. Our agents are fielding calls daily from buyers reassessing their long-term presence in the city.”

    According to de la Vega, the increased activity is not limited to individuals—institutional investors, family offices, and entrepreneurs are among those exploring relocation options. Many are drawn by Florida’s well-known tax advantages, including no state income tax, coupled with perceptions of greater political and financial stability, public safety, and quality of life.

    “These are not just second-home buyers. We’re seeing families and executives who want to move their operations and lives permanently,” de la Vega explained. “This is the beginning of what could become a second major wave of migration if Mamdani wins the general election.”

    This shift mirrors a trend seen between 2018 and 2022, when over 125,000 New Yorkers moved to Florida, bringing with them nearly $14 billion in adjusted gross income. That migration reshaped the South Florida real estate market, creating what de la Vega described as a “major surge” in demand and price increases across luxury developments.

    With high-end buyers showing renewed interest, Florida markets like Miami, Palm Beach, and Naples are already seeing more activity. Developers are preparing for an influx of capital should political uncertainty in New York continue.

    While Florida real estate professionals brace for a potential boom, some New York agents are already seeing the first ripples of disruption.

    Frances Katzen, a top agent at Douglas Elliman, said one of her long-time Manhattan clients recently chose to list a condo unit after a decade of ownership, citing rising operating costs, regulatory concerns, and the threat of increased taxation and rent control under a Mamdani-led administration.

    “Some investors are concerned about what’s coming next,” Katzen acknowledged. “But many still believe in New York’s resilience.”

    Indeed, Katzen remains bullish on the city’s long-term prospects. “New York is still one of the most dynamic, connected, and culturally vibrant cities in the world. No matter how the election plays out, this city has always adapted and bounced back.”

    Mamdani’s win in the Democratic primary has not yet sealed his role as the city’s next mayor—but it has already introduced uncertainty into high-end real estate markets. Buyers with means are exploring options, and real estate professionals in both New York and Florida are preparing for potential market shifts.

    De la Vega emphasized that while his firm is still watching how the general election unfolds, early indicators suggest that more New Yorkers are getting spooked by the direction of local policy. “We’re seeing the first wave of reaction—not panic, but preparation.”

    If Mamdani secures the mayor’s office in November, it may trigger a fresh wave of ultra-wealthy migration—and with it, billions in investment capital leaving New York for the warmer, lower-tax haven of Florida.

  • Kamala Harris’s stepdaughter experienced “trauma” while voting in the New York City Mayoral Primary

    Kamala Harris’s stepdaughter experienced “trauma” while voting in the New York City Mayoral Primary

    In a video posted to social media, Emhoff said, “You know, I’m feeling a little trauma walking to the same polling station that I did to vote for Kamala.”

    “And you know, I’m just feeling a lot of hope right now,” she said. She then updated her video after voting, declaring, “We did it.”

    “I’m feeling a huge mix of emotions,” she added. “I’m really nervous. I’m also so hopeful. It’s been so spectacular seeing New York come together in this way and rally behind Zohran, and, yeah. Let’s fucking do this, guys.”

    This comes as the self-declared democratic socialist — New York State Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani (D) — declared that he and his supporters “made history” in essentially clinching the Democrat primary in the Democrat-run city.

    “I want to applaud the assemblyman for a really smart and good and impactful campaign,” opponent Andrew Cuomo said after his own apparent loss. “Tonight is his night. He deserved it. He won.”

    Mamdani has made waves with a series of radical comments and proposals — such as city-run grocery stores — as Breitbart News has documented:

    Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani outlined his platform on his website saying people in his city are struggling with the cost of groceries.

    The site then declared Mamdani “will create a network of city-owned grocery stores focused on keeping prices low, not making a profit. Without having to pay rent or property taxes, they will reduce overhead and pass on savings to shoppers. They will buy and sell at wholesale prices, centralize warehousing and distribution, and partner with local neighborhoods on products and sourcing. With New York City already spending millions of dollars to subsidize private grocery store operators (which are not even required to take SNAP/WIC!), we should redirect public money to a real ‘public option.’”

    He also has publicly stated that “queer liberation means defund the police.”

    Mamdani has earned praise from the likes of fellow socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who said, “Congratulations to Zohran Mamdani and his thousands of grassroots supporters for their extraordinary campaign.”

    “You took on the political, economic and media Establishment- and you beat them,” Sanders added. “Now it’s on to victory in the general election.”

  • Dem. Representative is cautioning that Socialist Zohran Mamdani is too radical to govern New York City.

    Dem. Representative is cautioning that Socialist Zohran Mamdani is too radical to govern New York City.

    Zohran Mamdani 2
    Democrat Rep. Warns Socialist Zohran Mamdani Is ‘Too Extreme to Lead’ NYC. (Christian Monterrosa/Bloomberg/Getty)

    Gillen issued a statement criticizing Mamdani’s campaign as having “been built on unachievable promises and higher taxes.”

    “Socialist Zohran Mamdani is too extreme to lead New York City,” Gillen said. “His entire campaign has been built on unachievable promises and higher taxes, which is the last thing New York needs.”

    “Beyond that, Mr. Mamdani has called to defund the police and has demonstrated a deeply disturbing pattern of unacceptable antisemitic comments which stoke hate at a time when antisemitism is skyrocketing,” Gillen continued. “He is the absolute wrong choice for New York.”

    560e2d0a4056bf053129adfd61036a97
    Laura Gillen, Democratic candidate for New York’s 4th Congressional District, on Oct. 17, 2024. (CQ-Roll Call, Inc/Getty Images)

    The statement from Gillen comes after former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) conceded to Mamdani on Tuesday night, after Mamdani held onto the lead in the primary.

    “Tonight was not our night,” Cuomo said, according to the Hill. “Tonight was Assemblyman Mamdani’s night and he put together a great campaign, and he touched young people and inspired them and moved them and got them to come out and vote.”

    With 93 percent of the votes in, Mamdani led with 43.5 percent of the vote, 432,305 votes, while Cuomo came in second with 36.4 percent of the vote, or 361,840 votes, according to the Associated Press.

    New York City Comptroller Brad Lander came in third with 11.3 percent, or 112,349 votes.

    While Cuomo has conceded after Mamdani led his opponents in the race, the “outcome will still be decided by a ranked choice count,” according to the outlet.

    “In the words of Nelson Mandela: it always seems impossible until it’s done,” Mamdani wrote in a post on X. “My friends, it is done. And you are the ones who did it. I am honored to be your Democratic nominee for the Mayor of New York City.”

    Mamdani has suggested creating city-run grocery stores, pointing out that people in the city are “struggling with the cost of groceries.”

    “We will redirect city funds from corporate supermarkets to city-owned grocery stores whose mission is to lower prices, not price gouging,” Mamdani said in a video. “These stores will operate without a profit motive, or having to pay property taxes or rent, and will pass on those savings to you.”

    Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) endorsed Mamdani, stating that “new leadership” who would “stand up to powerful corporate interests” is needed.

    “At this dangerous moment in history, status quo politics isn’t good enough,” Sanders said. “We need new leadership that is prepared to stand up to powerful corporate interests & fight for the working class. Zohran Mamdani is providing that vision. He is the best choice for NYC mayor.”

  • Andrew Cuomo has conceded the New York City Democratic Mayoral Primary to socialist Zohran Mamdani

    Andrew Cuomo has conceded the New York City Democratic Mayoral Primary to socialist Zohran Mamdani

    Cuomo Concedes to Mamdani in NY
    Andrew Cuomo Concedes to Socialist Zohran Mamdani in NYC Democratic Mayoral Primary. (Michael M. Santiago, Alex Kent/Getty Images)

    Cuomo told his supporters that tonight was “not” their night and added that “tonight was Assemblyman Mamdani’s night,” according to the Hill.

    “He put together a great campaign, and he touched young people and inspired them and moved them and got them to come out and vote,” Cuomo added.

    Per the outlet, Cuomo’s concession came after “Decision Desk HQ projected the race would head to a ranked-choice count.”

    Earlier Tuesday, Decision Desk HQ projected the race would head to a ranked-choice count as Mamdani held a solid lead over the former governor. The vote counting will continue even though Cuomo has conceded in the primary.

    With 91 percent of the votes counted, Mamdani leads with 43.5 percent, or 428,995 votes, while Cuomo received 36.4 percent, or 358,740 votes, according to the Associated Press.

    New York City Comptroller Brad Lander came in third with 11.3 percent, or 111,44 votes.

    While Mamdani leads in the election, it could take “days before the winner is determined,” as the city does ranked choice voting, CBS News reported.

    According to the NYC Board of Elections website, “all first-choice votes are counted,” and if a candidate receives more than 50 percent of the first-choice votes, they win. Votes will continue to be counted “if no candidate earns more than” 50 percent of the first-choice votes:

    All first-choice votes are counted. If a candidate receives more than 50% of first-choice votes, that candidate wins.

    If not candidate earns more than 50% of first-choice votes, then counting will continue in rounds.

    At the end of each round, the last-place candidate is eliminated and voters who chose that candidate now have their vote counted for their next choice.

    Your vote is counted for your second choice only if your first choice is eliminated. If both your first and second choices are eliminated, your vote is counted for your next choice, and so on.

    Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani outlined his platform on his website saying people in his city are struggling with the cost of groceries.

    The site then declared Mamdani “will create a network of city-owned grocery stores focused on keeping prices low, not making a profit. Without having to pay rent or property taxes, they will reduce overhead and pass on savings to shoppers. They will buy and sell at wholesale prices, centralize warehousing and distribution, and partner with local neighborhoods on products and sourcing. With New York City already spending millions of dollars to subsidize private grocery store operators (which are not even required to take SNAP/WIC!), we should redirect public money to a real ‘public option.’”

    Several Hollywood celebrities, such as Sex and City star Cynthia Nixon, Harold and Kumar star Kal Penn, and pop superstar Lourde have supported Mamdani in his race to be the next mayor of New York City.