Mamdani Says Quiet Part Out Loud: 'Whiter Neighborhoods' Need To Pay Higher Taxes

The blatant socialism and alleged antisemitism of New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani have attracted significant criticism from across the political spectrum in the days since his victory.

As voters learn more about his specific policy proposals, there’s been even more backlash.

One issue in particular deals with his tax-the-rich platform, which openly calls for property taxes to be increased based, at least in part, on race.

The New York Post dug into the issue to provide these details:

The soak-the-rich proposal is buried in Mamdani’s campaign platform that calls to fix the city’s notoriously skewed property tax system, in which ritzy brownstones are hit at lower rates than homes and rentals in lower-income neighborhoods.

“Shift the tax burden from overtaxed homeowners in the outer boroughs to more expensive homes in richer and whiter neighborhoods,” the proposal reads.

Democrats and many Republicans have long pushed to fix the out-of-whack system that ends up hitting poorer, often largely black and brown neighborhoods, with higher property taxes than their neighbors in swanky areas that tend to be majority Caucasian.

But Mamdani’s specific mention of “whiter,” wealthier neighborhoods drew outrage from some observers. Many right-wing commentators accused Mamdani, who would be the city’s first mayor of South Asian descent if elected, of targeting white New Yorkers, with one labeling him a “RACIST.”

Here’s a sampling of the criticism he’s received:

Each day it gets worse and worse with his absurd ideas, that it feels unreal and almost unbelievable.

There should be widespread outrage. He will cause more damage to NYC than anyone seems to realize.

— Mercurius (@MercuriusFilius) June 28, 2025

Isn’t it illegal to discriminate based on your skin color? Somebody tell Mamdani.

— Betty Jean Thornton (@jean_thorn31181) June 27, 2025

I thought we had laws against this kind of racism in this country. So, the rich, white liberals who voted for him are in favor of this?

— Sam I Am (@smerrell89) June 27, 2025

Newsweek also covered some of the criticism:

On X Eric Daugherty, assistant news director for conservative leaning publication Florida’s Voice, said: “WTF? Zohran Mamdani supports taxing ‘whiter neighborhoods” in New York City higher than other boroughs.

“This Ugandan is not only a radical Muslim socialist but a RACIST. NYC, please reject this psycho and choose Eric Adams instead.”

The conservative Right Angle News Network on X shared a screenshot from Mamdani’s policy memo referring to “whiter neighborhoods” adding: “BREAKING – A proposal by NYC Democrat mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani to shift tax burdens to “Whiter neighborhoods” has resurfaced.”

And here’s what President Trump had to say about the far-left candidate: