“Well, it seems that the problem with capitalism is that eventually you may need a socialist to come in, correct previous under-budgeting, account for current service levels as well as expected growth," Mamdani continued, in reference to Eric Adams' deceptive bookkeeping.
2/2
At last night's CBC gala, Mamdani said he has lately thought a lot about the Margaret Thatcher quote about how “the problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other’s people money."
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Mamdani is all about taxing the rich.
But the Council Progressive Caucus' proposal to start raising taxes on those making $500K+ (not just $1M+) may be a bridge too far for him, with his rep declining to offer support for it.
In today's Playbook: www.politico.com/newsletters/...
New: Morris Katz, a top aide to Mamdani, quietly traveled to London last month to meet with local politicians seeking campaign advice from him.
The meets highlight how progressives around the world are looking at Mamdani's populism as ripe for replication. www.politico.com/news/2026/03...
New: City Council progressives are opening up a new front in the battle over whether to raise taxes on the rich, arguing that those earning $500K+ should face higher levies.
So far, Mamdani has focused on higher taxes only on those earning more than $1M.
www.politico.com/newsletters/...
Also in today's Playbook:
Most NYC residents continue to struggle to afford food, according to a new poll that highlights how difficult it will be for Mamdani to tackle the Big Apple’s cost-of-living crisis.
www.politico.com/newsletters/...
Jessica Tisch, Mamdani's NYPD commissioner who drew backlash for dining with Sid Rosenberg in January, told us in a statement last night that the right-wing radio host's "cockroach" comment about the mayor was "wholly inappropriate and deeply harmful."
www.politico.com/newsletters/...
After Sid Rosenberg's "cockroach" comment about Mamdani ignited a political firestorm yesterday, the mayor responded today, calling the radio host's remark "painfully familiar."
When I asked him for a response, Rosenberg started cursing (quite a lot). www.politico.com/newsletters/...
Asked about right-wing radio host Sid Rosenberg calling him a "cockroach," Mamdani says the comment is "painfully familiar."
But he says he has "far more urgent work in front of me than indulging the provocations of a man who trades in outrage" and adds "no amount of racism" will stop his work.
Mamdani says he only uses Signal "for personal and campaign purposes."
"I do not conduct city government business on Signal as a matter of practice," he says.
We reported yesterday Mamdani has at least once discussed city business on the app:
www.politico.com/news/2026/03...
Also in today's Playbook:
Mamdani's campaign pledge to make "green school" investments doesn't appear to be reflected in his first budget proposal. So now a number of groups, including key allies like the DSA, are calling on him to make good on that vow.
www.politico.com/newsletters/...
“I think it could be a real dividing line,” Mamdani-backed congressional candidate Clarie Valdez said of what she sees as some elected Dems' wishy-washy condemnations of the Trump admin's Iran strikes.
www.politico.com/news/2026/03...
New: Zohran Mamdani has as mayor used Signal to communicate with fellow elected officials and political advisers.
At least once, he has discussed government business over the encrypted app, raising concerns about compliance with record-keeping laws. www.politico.com/news/2026/03...
"I think it's important to be on the record here, given the scale of the consequences that we are speaking about,” Mamdani told us today when asked if he's concerned Trump may punish NYC for his rebuke of the Iran strikes. www.politico.com/news/2026/02...
New: Mamdani did Trump a solid by keeping their second meeting under wraps in the days leading up to it, with three sources telling us City Hall didn't announce it at all because the White House asked it be kept secret as long as possible.
www.politico.com/news/2026/02...
While on the topic of Tisch tensions, in this morning's Playbook:
The police commissioner has brought Eric Adams' old City Hall Community Affairs chief onboard at the NYPD, a hire that could irk Mamdani.
www.politico.com/newsletters/...
Mamdani's NYPD troubles are snowballing after his response to a frosty fracas in Manhattan this week stoked cop backlash.
A deep dive into how a snowball fight is putting Mamdani's relationship with his NYPD commissioner through a stress test: www.politico.com/news/2026/02...
Mamdani is asking Trump for $21 billion in federal grants for the Sunnyside Yards housing development they discussed in their White House meeting today, City Hall finally confirms.
Full coverage of today's second chummy meeting between Mamdani and Trump: www.politico.com/news/2026/02...
Mayor Mamdani just shared this on Instagram after his (unannounced) meeting with President Trump in the Oval Office.
Read more here: www.politico.com/news/2026/02...
While housing's the main topic, Trump and Mamdani are also likely to talk immigration today, per source.
Mamdani will be joined by Morris Katz, his top political adviser, his chief of staff, Elle Bisgaard-Church, and communications director, Anna Bahr. www.politico.com/news/2026/02...
New: In their meeting today, Mamdani and Trump are set to discuss ways NYC can create more "big" housing developments. This comes after we reported weeks ago that Trump grew especially animated during their first meet when Mamdani brought up ULURP reform.
www.politico.com/news/2026/02...
🚨: Mamdani is in D.C. to meet with Trump, City Hall confirms.
Exact purpose of the meeting not clear.
Source confirms that Mamdani is in D.C. today for an unannounced visit.
Unclear what he's doing there. City Hall hasn't issued any comment.
Mayor Mamdani has a rare empty public schedule today.
I'm pretty sure this is the first weekday he has had with a totally empty schedule since becoming mayor.
New: City Council progressives are ratcheting up pressure on Hochul to raise taxes on the rich, with 22 of them demanding action today.
In a setback, tho, three Council Progressive Caucus members aren't lending their names to the pressure campaign. subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026...
Also in today's Playbook:
Claire Valdez, Mamdani's preferred candidate in NY-7, raised slightly less cash than Antonio Reynoso in the first 28-day stretch of their campaigns.
Valdez had way more individual donors, tho, so she's taking a victory lap.
www.politico.com/newsletters/...
Menin's office said she was only asked to "appear" on the podcast with Tom Allon "to discuss a broad range of issues impacting New Yorkers, and she agreed." subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026...
New: Can a City Council speaker co-host a podcast funded by companies with business before the Council? Julie Menin apparently thought so.
But her role on a new podcast is now being scaled back after we started asking about the funding arrangement. subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2026...
“I don’t think classes needed to be cancelled," DOE Chancellor Kamar Samules told Playbook when asked if schools had to scale back education today given that 12,000 teachers called out amid the snow.
w/ @madinatoure.bsky.social
www.politico.com/newsletters/...
"I think there were two officers who were facing lacerations on their face," Mamdani says of the cops hit with snowballs in Manhattan.
Asked if he thinks those responsible should be prosecuted, he says, "I've seen the videos of this snowball fight, I think it was a snowball fight."
