The news was surprising, yet oddly familiar, triggering a somewhat automatic response.
It made me wonder: does Governor Hochul have any core principles, or is she just winging it?
This thought crossed my mind on Friday, when it was reported that Hochul is now “open to raising taxes on New York businesses to finance socialist Zoran Mamdani’s initiatives.” Really? Talk about a flip-flop!
Is this really the same Hochul who firmly opposed a tax increase back in June?
At that time, she stated unequivocally, “We’re not going to raise taxes at a time when affordability is such a significant issue,” during a TV appearance.
The reports surfaced just a week before the Democratic mayoral primary, where Mamdani seemed destined to lose to Andrew Cuomo.
Noticing this, Hochul pulled back support for Mamdani’s proposal to increase the income tax on wealthy city residents by 2 percentage points and hike the corporate tax from 7.25% to 11.5%.
She also distanced herself from him and the wide array of candidates.
This change appears to stem from tough lessons learned in Albany. When your state is driving people to leave due to high taxes, rampant crime, and excessive government spending, it’s pretty clear that sticking to that path isn’t viable.
Hochul’s reaction to Mamdani’s plan was spot on: “I don’t want to lose any more people to Palm Beach,” she asserted. “We’ve lost enough. Let’s be smart about this.”
It was a straightforward stance, one that seemed firm and without much room for maneuvering.
“The back of the napkin”
As Mamdani looks poised to become the next mayor, the underlying tension became evident.
This moment underscores the tendency for Friday announcements to go unnoticed. It’s almost as if aides speaking anonymously is a tactic to soften the impact of bad news, and that seemed true here.
A Politico reporter noted that “a napkin-style debate continues over how to raise the corporate tax rate,” citing unnamed sources saying Hochul is feeling pressure from the left for tax hikes next year to support Mamdani’s hefty tax bill.
It seems she’s yielding to that pressure, likely influenced by Congress and the radical left, which makes up Mamdani’s main base.
Those who advocate for taxing the wealthy will be pleased that she has given in. However, for New Yorkers who believed her promise to not impose new taxes, it’s just another broken commitment, and that’s hardly a cause for celebration.
When she worries about the cost of living, it’s clear she can’t genuinely push for broad tax increases without impacting the entire economy.
That’s what got New York into trouble in the first place.
Clearly, Hochul has shifted her stance since June, and there’s little doubt this is driven by political strategy.
She saw how Mamdani’s tax-and-spend ideas increased voter turnout across five boroughs, winning him both the primary and general elections. Perhaps she thinks it could benefit her as well.
The catch is that statewide voters tend to be much more moderate than those in the city. She may have overlooked that Mamdani barely secured over 50 percent of votes in a crowded field, with over a million New Yorkers preferring a different candidate.
America’s “Worst Governor”
And let’s not forget, when it comes to campaign charm, Hochul pales in comparison to Mamdani.
Will she mimic him and turn her back on Israel too?
Already, her tax decisions are under scrutiny, especially since she’s gearing up for a challenging re-election campaign.
The agreement with Mamdani could become a key issue for Republicans aiming to run against her next year.
Upstate state Rep. Elise Stefanik has declared her candidacy and quickly branded Hochul as “the worst governor in America.”
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is also testing the waters.
The eventual Republican nominee will undoubtedly focus on New York’s excessive taxes.
Just to give a sense of the financial disarray, New York’s present state budget stands at a staggering $254 billion—$100 billion more than a decade ago.
Florida, with a higher population, operates on a budget of $117 billion.
Hochul’s 2022 campaign zeroed in on state spending, while her opponent, Republican Lee Zeldin, stressed rising crime and New York’s status as the country’s top tax state.
Zeldin came close to an upset, losing by only five points, while Republicans were able to flip three House seats, which shifted power dynamics.
This led former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to call Hochul’s campaign inept, a criticism Hochul attributed to outside consultants.
This time around, her opponents could effectively highlight her pattern of pledging no new taxes only to reverse course repeatedly.
Recall that leading up to last year’s election, she suspended Manhattan’s congestion pricing plan to shield suburban House Democrats, given the unpopularity of the driving tax.
Yet, once the election wraps up, she ended the “suspension” and imposed a $9 daily charge for cars entering Midtown.
hidden in plain sight
She seems to be doing something similar now by planning to ban gas stove installations in new homes.
Initially set for a January start for buildings up to seven stories, it’s now facing delays due to court challenges.
Stefanik suspected foul play, claiming the delay was a “cynical political ‘pause'” aimed at burdening New Yorkers with high costs post-election.
Interestingly, even an environmentalist echoed these sentiments, expressing frustration with Hochul for claiming the ban was essential for cutting harmful emissions.
This trend is glaringly obvious, and New Yorkers would do well to brace for more taxes, fees, and left-leaning policies that may become apparent if Hochul retains her position.
Her knack for obfuscation seems a curious strategy in a time when transparency is valued most by voters.
Successful figures, be it Donald Trump or Mamdani, share the ability to present themselves as genuine and trustworthy.
No one can honestly say this is true for Hochul.
The only consistency in her political journey is that what you see today may not be what you get tomorrow.
Like a weather vane, her stances shift with the prevailing winds.
It’s just the nature of the game she’s chosen.
