Newsmax host Rob Schmitt criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani after the mayor acknowledged he would raise property taxes and draw from the city’s reserves to fund his budget.
Schmitt described Mamdani’s first month in office as troubled.
“Barely a month into what’s been a disastrous term already for Zoran, the moron, his entire plan has blown up in his face,” Schmitt said.
He continued, “and with a scowl, Mamdani today admitting that he couldn’t get it done, the revenue for his massive budget will not be coming from taxing the rich, but from raiding the city’s rainy day funds and raising property taxes in New York City by nearly 10% further gutting New York’s middle class.”
In remarks addressing the city’s fiscal situation, Mamdani said the administration had limited options.
“Faced with no other choice, the city would have to exercise the only revenue lever fully within our own control,” Mamdani said.
“We would have to raise property taxes.”
He added, “We would also be forced to raid our reserves. At the heart of this path is a property tax increase. It would mean withdrawing $980 million from our city’s rainy day fund in fiscal year 2026.”
Candidate Mamdani Mayor Mamdani pic.twitter.com/BiM7oXaFP2 [1]
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) February 18, 2026 [2]
Schmitt questioned what happened to Mamdani’s earlier proposal to tax high earners.
“What happened to tax the rich?” Schmitt asked. “Mamdani looking like a whipped puppy in that video. It has been a rough month for him.”
Schmitt said Mamdani recently sought approval in Albany for his proposed tax plan.
“So what did happen? Well, when he took his grandiose tax plan to Albany last week, state leaders and the governor effectively told him, there is just no way we are taxing the rich anymore,” Schmitt said.
He added, “he had a very bad trip, and that’s not going to change.”
Schmitt also questioned whether Mamdani could pressure the state legislature by threatening local tax increases.
“He’s pretending like there’s a chance he can bully the legislature into doing this by threatening to raise city property taxes,” Schmitt said. “It’s not going to happen.”
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