October 31, 2025 • 21 mins
With the mayoral election days away, Zohran Mamdani takes time out of his campaign to talk with Katie about his vision for New York City. From universal childcare and free buses to rent freezes and city-owned grocery stores, Mamdani explains how he plans to make the country’s most expensive city more affordable—and what leadership looks like in a moment of deep division.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hi everyone, I'm Kitty Kuric and this is next question zoram.
Mom Donnie is perhaps the most well known and polarizing
figure in democratic politics today. His run for mayor of
New York has captured national attention with his self proclaimed
democratic socialist policies like universal childcare, free buses, rent freezes,
(00:23):
and city owned grocery stores. Warning, we did have a
few technical difficulties, but we managed to power through. So
even when he freezes, you can still hear his answers.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Hey, how's the goldlin.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Very nice to meet you. Thanks so much for doing this.
I really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Please, the pleasure's online. It's holy to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
So let's get started, because you've got people to see,
in places to go. I know that, but with the
election less than a week away, I thought our time
could best be used addressing some of the questions people
have about your psians, your vision for New York City,
and about you in general. So let's get started if
we could this week. As you know, your opponent Andrew
(01:08):
Cuomo Warren voters quote, if Mom Donnie wins, you're going
to see Trump come in here and take over New
York City, and then Donald Trump himself, how did plans
to quote send more than the National Guard, i e.
The military into cities across the country. So I'm curious,
how will you handle if it happens, if the National
(01:29):
Guard or members of the US military are actually deployed
to New York City.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
I think we first have to be clear that this
is completely unacceptable and has nothing to do with the
so called justification of crime. If it had to do
with crime, then Donald Trump would be sending the National
Guard into the eight out of ten states that have
the highest crime rates. But he's not because those are
all run by Republicans. I agree with ANLANTIPD Commissioner Jessica
Tish that we do not need the National Guard here
deliver safety. That's what we have the NYPD for. And
(01:58):
if Donald Trump was to look to make good on
his threats, what I would do is follow the example
we've seen elsewhere in the country, where you utilize every
single tool in front of you the courts, as it
did in California, where you had the mayor, the Attorney General,
the governor come together fil a loss was illegal of
the National Guard, And to actually make clear to New
Yorker's US going on, because what we've seen thus far
(02:19):
is we've had a mayor who has oftentimes sought to
avoiding the administration because of the fact that his personal
freedom has been in part secured by his willingness to
further the president's immigration agenda. And I think for Andrew
Cuomo to say that my election would mean the entrance
of Donald Trump into the city, it obscures the fact
that electing Andrew Cuomo would mean that we'd have Donald
(02:41):
Trump's puppet right here in city Hall, because that's who
he has been and that's what's on the ballot.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Last week, ICE agents rated street vendors in Chinatown. Every day,
these agents are targeting immigrants who are arriving for routine
hearings at twenty six Federal Plaza. In July, ICE agents
descended on a baseball field and Riverside Park, questioning about
a dozen eleven to fourteen year olds. Now, imagine your
mayor for a second, if you could, what do you do,
(03:09):
who's your first call, what's your plan?
Speaker 2 (03:12):
I think first, to be clear, coordination with ICE is
akin to capitulating to Donald Trump's agenda. That's what we've seen.
This is a reckless entity that cares little for the
rule of law and even less for the people that
it's supposed to serve, and it has transformed the sites
of what used to be regular court appearances for many
New Yorkers at twenty six Federal Plaza into a place
where many go fearing that it will be the last
(03:32):
time that they'll be standing in their own city. And
it is critically important that we have a city that
makes clear it's proud of its sanctuary city status, it
is actually going to stand up for immigrant New Yorkers
and reminds everyone of their actual rights in this city.
We've heard from Tom Homan that the more educated a
population is, the harder it is for ICE to be
(03:53):
able to engage in these kinds of activities. And that's
what I would do. I would make clear to New
Yorkers that when they're sending their child to school, the
school will not let it an ICE agent into that
facility unless they have assigned judicial warrant by a judge.
That is something that Eric Adams has refused to say
time and again. It's critically important that families know their
children are safe when they come to these facilities.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Donald Trump has made no secret of his disdain for you.
He's threatened to take federal money away from the city.
He's called you a communist, he said you're going to
destroy New York And we wanted to give you a
chance to tell Donald Trump what you think of that.
So you have the floor. Mister mom Donnie, what would
you say to the president.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Well, to the President, I would say time and again
that when you ran your campaign to lead this country,
you did so with one of your most prominent promises
being to take on the cost of living crisis to
deliver cheaper groceries. If that is ever a conversation you
want to have with me, I am here, and I
am ready to have that conversation, because I'm committed to
transforming the most expensive city in the United States of
(04:51):
America into one that's affordable for everyone who calls it home.
But if you want to pursue your promise to create
the single largest deportation force in American history, or your
promise to persecute and punish your political enemies, then you
will have to get through me to do that here
in New York City, because for far too long, what
we found City Hall to be is an embassy for Washington.
D c and what it needs to be is a
(05:12):
shining light of what it can look like to actually
fight for the people who call the city home.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
You know, there's so many things you want to do,
and as I can see behind you from all these posters,
universal childcare, free and fast buses. You want city owned
grocery stores, and a rent freeze and debt. Help pay
for these things, You've said you want to raise taxes
on anyone making over a million dollars a year and
raise a corporate tax rate to equal that of New Jersey.
(05:39):
How concerned are you though, that people and companies will
leave New York City and significantly reduce the tax base
which you want to use to pay for all the
things you have behind you?
Speaker 2 (05:52):
You know, I often go back to the statistics that
look into this question in previous years, and the Fiscal
Policy Institute here in New York City to study that
found that the top one percent leave it one fourth
the rate of other income brackets in New York City,
and when they do leave, it's often to other high
tax states as they're described as well as for the
reason of quality of life. I say all this to
(06:13):
say that I'm confident that New Yorkers will choose to
not only remain here, but also that others will choose
to join us in this city. And I also know
that it's my responsibility that for every single dollar that
we spend, that it is a dollar that New Yorkers
look at as a dollar well invested, because I know
for far too long, when New Yorkers have looked at
the New York City budget, they are not convinced in
(06:33):
the way in which this money is being spent. And
it's my job to show that every single one of
these dollars will transform quality of life for every New Yorker,
no matter how much money they're making.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
I know that income inequality has really been the cornerstone
of your campaign, and it's such a serious issue not
only in New York City but really all across the country.
But I'm curious, how do you balance without making tax
increases and regulations to onerous for some businesses that are
creating jobs and are being actively courted to relocate to
(07:05):
cities like Dallas, Miami, and Tampa. How do you balance
that with making sure that income inequality is addressed, because
you don't want to go overboard and send these businesses
to other cities, of course, because they're very important drivers
of the New York City economy.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
They are critical parts of the New York City economy,
and they're also critical parts of what it means to
be a New Yorker. And what I've heard from many
business owners of both smaller and larger businesses is the
fact that New York City has been expensive for a
long time, but now we are the most expensive city
in the United States of America, and it's an affordability crisis.
Also impacts these businesses because it makes it harder for
(07:48):
their workers to be able to afford to live in
the city. And when city government doesn't step up and
deliver universal childcare and partnership with the state, then sometimes
that means businesses have to actually pay childcare stipends to
their workers as a means for them to be able
to actually afford to live in this city. So I
say this to say that delivering on the affordability agenda
is one that will also make it easier to hire
(08:09):
and recruit the best of the best for businesses across
the country that are located here in our city. And
also that we're going to pair this with actually streamlining
so many of the regulations that small businesses face in
the city. We've committed to cutting fines and fees by
fifty percent. We've committed to saying that as someone who
proudly believes in regulated if I can give you a
reason for a regulation today, it means that regulation has
(08:31):
no reason exists. I mean, I spoke to a restaurant
owner who told me about the fact that he has
to pay twenty five dollars a year to the city
for the right to sell a frozen dessert. That does
not make minds to me. A barber shop owner who
has to fill out twenty four forms, go to seven agencies,
attend twelve in personecties to be able to open that barbershop.
That does not make much sense to me either. And
(08:51):
as someone who believes in the public sector, we have
to ensure that excellence and efficiency is at the heart
of that same sector. And that's what I hope to
develop here when I'm leaving this city.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
As you well know, running New York City is a
huge job. Eight point five million people, bigger than thirty
eight states, an economy larger than most countries. I know.
You've served in the New York Assembly for three terms,
and You've heard this repeatedly, but I think it's important
for me to ask you and for you to respond.
Do you have enough experience to do this job?
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Yes. I have the experience of leading both my Assembly
district as well as this campaign, and delivering for New
Yorker's time and time again while being in public life.
One of the things I'm most proud of is having
secured nearly half a billion dollars in debt relief for
working class taxi drivers across this city, going toe to
toe with City Hall when they weren't actually honoring their
promise to those who had bought them adallion with the
(09:44):
hopes of securing a middle class life. I've also been
the first person to win free buses in New York
City's history, as well as someone who was able to
fight off a proposal to build a frack gas power
plant in Queens. These are examples of what's possible when
we're actually willing to fight. And I'm also going to
be super grounding on myself with those who have the
experience that spans generations and mayoral administrations, because it's time
(10:05):
to actually build a team that is not characterized by
those that you already know, or those that are quickest
to say yes, but instead by those who have shown
excellence time and again a track record of delivering it.
Because we have an ambitious agenda and it's going to
require the best of the best to actually be able
to bring it through, and I'm confident of our ability
to attract and retain that talent.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
If you want to get smarter every morning with a
breakdown of the news and fascinating takes on health and
wellness and pop culture, sign up for our daily newsletter,
Wake Up Call by going to Katiecuric dot com. You know,
(10:51):
it is an ambitious agenda, but many of the things
you're proposing will need to be approved by Governor Hokel
tax increases, fast and free buses. After all, the MTA
is the state run agency and would not be under
your control. She's endorsed universal childcare, but could easily put
the cabash on some of your other ideas. So isn't
(11:11):
there a chance that you couldn't be able to implement
some of the policies you're running on, And what are
you able to do yourself unilaterally without state approval? If
you win on day one?
Speaker 2 (11:26):
You know and I've heard this also from Governor Cuomo
on the debate stage, and I think what we have
are two options in front that seek to try and
make working people's lives better, and then we have those
that seek to give up at the first opportunity. And
Governor Cuomo showed what it looked like to give up.
It means cutting tax breaks to your wealthiest donors while
refusing to actually ensure that you're fully funding the public
(11:47):
services that so many working class New Yorkers rely on.
And I am confident of our campaign's ability to deliver
on the commitments that we've made to New Yorkers. And
I'm proud to not only have the endorsement of Governor Hochle,
but also Assembly Speaker Carl Hasty, Majority Leader of the
State Senate Andrea Stewart Cousins. These are three of the
most important figures in Albany who make the determinations around
(12:08):
the budget, and their endorsements were also endorsements of the
agenda that we've been running on. And you know, when
I speak to New Yorkers, I also make very clear,
you know, no matter how many times Governor Cuomo speaks
about the things that he would not or could not do.
It is quite clear from the Mayor's office itself. We
have the power to appoint nine members of the Rent
(12:28):
Guidelines Board. It is that board that determines the rent
increase or lack thereof for more than two million rent
stabilized tenants here in New York City. That's the board
Eric Adams is used to raise the rents on those
New Yorkers by more than twelve percent. That's the board
that would actually deliver rent freezes because it's in line
with what we found time and time again that New
Yorker's actually deserve in this moment.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
You know, she was at an event with you, Governor
Hokeel and when you talked about raising taxes, she looked
a little trepidacious. So how we say, or little iffy,
are you convinced that you are going to be able
to to get her to go along with your game plan?
Speaker 2 (13:03):
You know, I have appreciated having the governor's endorsement and
even what she said the next morning at a press conference,
which is that her focus is on helping people who
are struggling, and that is one of the many things
that unites us, is on delivering for those New Yorkers
for whom this is a city that is far too
expensive for them to even be able to afford. And
I think that, you know, for me, I could continue
(13:24):
to believe that the two most straightforward ways of raising
the revenue to fund this suffordability agenda start to trump
proof our city are by increasing taxes on the top
one percent by two percent, by increasing the state's top
corporate tax rate to match that out of New Jersey.
And I've also said time and again the most important
thing is funding this agenda. This is the way I
think that makes sense, but we need to just fund.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
It right now. As you know, one in three Jewish
voters in New York are supporting you, but there are
others who have expressed concerns about your candidacy. I wanted
to read a quote written by a writer, Mehe Ahmad.
She is an editor for the Oubed section of the
New York Times. She really wrote about what your candidacy
(14:04):
meant to her as a Muslim, but she also talked
about Jewish voters in New York and she wrote, when
she asked someone named Hailey Seifer, the chief executive of
the Jewish Democratic Council of America, about you and your campaign,
Hailey Sofer said, Jewish new Yorkers are concerned that the
elected head of the city that has the largest Jewish
(14:27):
population outside of Israel is going to potentially give a
green light to those who want to inflict harm on
Jewish Americans. I don't think there's a belief among Jews
that he himself would be a perpetuator of violence, but
there's a concern that his language is giving a permissive
structure to those who may What would you say to
(14:48):
Jewish New Yorkers who worry about that and worry about
some of your past statements and positions.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
You know, I do not begrudge Jewish new Yorkers for
their skepticism in this race, because they, like any New Yorkers,
have had to deal with more than thirty million dollars
in opposition spending that has sought to portray myself more
as a caricature than actually as an individual. And I'm proud,
as you said, of the support that we have from
a number of Jewish New Yorkers, and I'm also looking
to be the mayor for every Jewish New Yorker and
every person that calls this city home and in doing so.
(15:18):
It's not just about the commitments that I have made
to root out anti Semitism across the city. It's also
about understanding the different ways in which we have to
act that we can actually deliver upon that commitment. That
means increasing funding by eight hundred percent for hate crime
prevention programs. It also means ensuring that there's NYPD officers
outside of synagogues and temples during the high holidays. You know,
(15:40):
I can tell you, Young Kippor, after the horrific anti
Semitic attack in Manchester, I had a rabbi reach out
to me and ask if I could send additional police
officers outside of their synagogue. I said absolutely, And I
was also deeply troubled by the potential of if that
rabbi did not know someone who is running to be
the next mayor, would they not have been able to
get that kind of protection. And my job is to
(16:01):
show that I'm looking to not just protect Jewish New Yorkers,
but frankly to celebrate and cherish those New Yorkers at
the heart of also what it means to be a
New Yorker.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
You know, it's interesting the role religion has played in
this campaign. And you gave an impassioned speech about the
anti Muslim hate that you've been facing, particularly in recent days.
It was a very powerful and moving speech. Can you
talk about what was going on and the attacks that
motivated you to give this speech?
Speaker 2 (16:31):
You know, I have seen the under islamophobia throughout much
of this race, and yet at that point it reached
a level that I had not seen in many, many years.
It was in bonse to Governor Cuomo going on a
radio go and as the choe host said that I
would cheer another nine to eleven, Governor Cuomo laughed and agreed.
(16:54):
He then, later on, as he was accepting Eric Adams's endorsement,
Mayor Adams said that he was doing so to stop
New York City from turning into you stop a movement
of violent extremists who were burning churches in Nigeria. And
this all while New Yorkers are turning on their TVs
and being ads bankrolled by Trump supporting billionaires, supporting images
(17:18):
of you with the word on my face, and polls
that are being sent out to New Yorkers asking them
if they would support a policy of making halal food mandatory.
The kind of fear mongering that has become endemic in
our politics was one that pushed me to actually name
what it is that so many of us have come
to expect, and also make clear that no matter how
(17:38):
unsurprising this is, it should still shock our conscience and
it should still be something that we say goodbye to.
As we say goodbye to Andrew Cuomo and Eric Adams
on November.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Fourth, what lessons have you learned during the course of
this campaign that you think might be helpful to other
Democrats running in the mid terms or in elections across
the country.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
You know, I think the key lesson for me is
to listen. To listen to New Yorkers. You know, so
often the impulse for politicians is to lecture. It is
to tell voters what it is that they should care about,
what they should consider to be an urgent issue in
their own lives. And what's actually required of us as
leaders is to listen to those that were looking to
serve and then to deliver on those concerns. And when
(18:19):
I asked New Yorkers what the number one concern in
their life was, they told me it was cost of living.
I didn't have to turn to a poll, I didn't
have to look to a consultant. I could just look
to a person that I was looking to represent. And
that's been at the heart of this campaign, trying to
build something that is reflective of that which is pushing
so many New Yorkers out of this.
Speaker 1 (18:36):
City before we go. My final question is there's so
much discord and division and hate out there. You know,
the country is so polarized, and people seem so angry,
and I'm just wondering, how can anyone in this current
climate provide a unifying voice and how can you No.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
I think it's so critically important for those of us
who are in politics in this moment to show that
it can be more than this division. It can be
more than what we see coming out of Washington, d C.
And to me, that comes from an expansive understanding of
who you're looking to serve and a definition of belonging
that doesn't seek to narrow itself each and every day
(19:16):
in the desperate last moments of an election. My belief
about who gets to call themselves in New Yorker is
anyone that wants to anyone that lives in this city,
anyone that is looking to actually find a home in
these five boroughs, and my job is to represent them all,
not just the ones that vote for me, not just
the ones that agree with me, but every single person
who calls the city home. I think it comes from
understanding that it's in each other that we find so
(19:39):
much of what we love about the city, and the
same lesson I think could be applied far beyond the
five boroughs that we call home.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
If you're elected, will you be able to fix the
Wi FI?
Speaker 2 (19:50):
If I was the mayor, this wouldn't have happened.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
Son Mandannie the technical difficulties. Thank you so much for
spending some time with us this afternoon. I know you're
a very busy man. We really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
Thank you so much, Katie. I'm sorry about all the difficulties.
But next time lean person.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
Hopefully that would be great. Maybe after you're elected, If
that happens, I can sit down and have a longer
conversation in person.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Well anything without wi FI I look forward to.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Thanks Chy, Thank you, thank your team too. We'll do
appreciate it. Thanks for listening everyone. If you have a
question for me, a subject you want us to cover,
or you want to share your thoughts about how you
navigate this crazy World reach out, send me a DM
on Instagram. I would love to hear from you. Next
(20:38):
Question is a production of iHeartMedia and Katie Kirk Media.
The executive producers are Me, Katie Kuric, and Courtney Ltz.
Our supervising producer is Ryan Martz, and our producers are
Adriana Fazzio and Meredith Barnes. Julian Weller composed our theme music.
For more information about today's episode, or to sign up
(21:01):
for my newsletter, wake Up Call, go to the description
in the podcast app, or visit us at Katiecuric dot com.
You can also find me on Instagram and all my
social media channels. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the
iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your
favorite shows,
Hi everyone, I'm Kitty Kuric and this is next question zoram.
Mom Donnie is perhaps the most well known and polarizing
figure in democratic politics today. His run for mayor of
New York has captured national attention with his self proclaimed
democratic socialist policies like universal childcare, free buses, rent freezes,
(00:23):
and city owned grocery stores. Warning, we did have a
few technical difficulties, but we managed to power through. So
even when he freezes, you can still hear his answers.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Hey, how's the goldlin.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Very nice to meet you. Thanks so much for doing this.
I really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Please, the pleasure's online. It's holy to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
So let's get started, because you've got people to see,
in places to go. I know that, but with the
election less than a week away, I thought our time
could best be used addressing some of the questions people
have about your psians, your vision for New York City,
and about you in general. So let's get started if
we could this week. As you know, your opponent Andrew
(01:08):
Cuomo Warren voters quote, if Mom Donnie wins, you're going
to see Trump come in here and take over New
York City, and then Donald Trump himself, how did plans
to quote send more than the National Guard, i e.
The military into cities across the country. So I'm curious,
how will you handle if it happens, if the National
(01:29):
Guard or members of the US military are actually deployed
to New York City.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
I think we first have to be clear that this
is completely unacceptable and has nothing to do with the
so called justification of crime. If it had to do
with crime, then Donald Trump would be sending the National
Guard into the eight out of ten states that have
the highest crime rates. But he's not because those are
all run by Republicans. I agree with ANLANTIPD Commissioner Jessica
Tish that we do not need the National Guard here
deliver safety. That's what we have the NYPD for. And
(01:58):
if Donald Trump was to look to make good on
his threats, what I would do is follow the example
we've seen elsewhere in the country, where you utilize every
single tool in front of you the courts, as it
did in California, where you had the mayor, the Attorney General,
the governor come together fil a loss was illegal of
the National Guard, And to actually make clear to New
Yorker's US going on, because what we've seen thus far
(02:19):
is we've had a mayor who has oftentimes sought to
avoiding the administration because of the fact that his personal
freedom has been in part secured by his willingness to
further the president's immigration agenda. And I think for Andrew
Cuomo to say that my election would mean the entrance
of Donald Trump into the city, it obscures the fact
that electing Andrew Cuomo would mean that we'd have Donald
(02:41):
Trump's puppet right here in city Hall, because that's who
he has been and that's what's on the ballot.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Last week, ICE agents rated street vendors in Chinatown. Every day,
these agents are targeting immigrants who are arriving for routine
hearings at twenty six Federal Plaza. In July, ICE agents
descended on a baseball field and Riverside Park, questioning about
a dozen eleven to fourteen year olds. Now, imagine your
mayor for a second, if you could, what do you do,
(03:09):
who's your first call, what's your plan?
Speaker 2 (03:12):
I think first, to be clear, coordination with ICE is
akin to capitulating to Donald Trump's agenda. That's what we've seen.
This is a reckless entity that cares little for the
rule of law and even less for the people that
it's supposed to serve, and it has transformed the sites
of what used to be regular court appearances for many
New Yorkers at twenty six Federal Plaza into a place
where many go fearing that it will be the last
(03:32):
time that they'll be standing in their own city. And
it is critically important that we have a city that
makes clear it's proud of its sanctuary city status, it
is actually going to stand up for immigrant New Yorkers
and reminds everyone of their actual rights in this city.
We've heard from Tom Homan that the more educated a
population is, the harder it is for ICE to be
(03:53):
able to engage in these kinds of activities. And that's
what I would do. I would make clear to New
Yorkers that when they're sending their child to school, the
school will not let it an ICE agent into that
facility unless they have assigned judicial warrant by a judge.
That is something that Eric Adams has refused to say
time and again. It's critically important that families know their
children are safe when they come to these facilities.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Donald Trump has made no secret of his disdain for you.
He's threatened to take federal money away from the city.
He's called you a communist, he said you're going to
destroy New York And we wanted to give you a
chance to tell Donald Trump what you think of that.
So you have the floor. Mister mom Donnie, what would
you say to the president.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Well, to the President, I would say time and again
that when you ran your campaign to lead this country,
you did so with one of your most prominent promises
being to take on the cost of living crisis to
deliver cheaper groceries. If that is ever a conversation you
want to have with me, I am here, and I
am ready to have that conversation, because I'm committed to
transforming the most expensive city in the United States of
(04:51):
America into one that's affordable for everyone who calls it home.
But if you want to pursue your promise to create
the single largest deportation force in American history, or your
promise to persecute and punish your political enemies, then you
will have to get through me to do that here
in New York City, because for far too long, what
we found City Hall to be is an embassy for Washington.
D c and what it needs to be is a
(05:12):
shining light of what it can look like to actually
fight for the people who call the city home.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
You know, there's so many things you want to do,
and as I can see behind you from all these posters,
universal childcare, free and fast buses. You want city owned
grocery stores, and a rent freeze and debt. Help pay
for these things, You've said you want to raise taxes
on anyone making over a million dollars a year and
raise a corporate tax rate to equal that of New Jersey.
(05:39):
How concerned are you though, that people and companies will
leave New York City and significantly reduce the tax base
which you want to use to pay for all the
things you have behind you?
Speaker 2 (05:52):
You know, I often go back to the statistics that
look into this question in previous years, and the Fiscal
Policy Institute here in New York City to study that
found that the top one percent leave it one fourth
the rate of other income brackets in New York City,
and when they do leave, it's often to other high
tax states as they're described as well as for the
reason of quality of life. I say all this to
(06:13):
say that I'm confident that New Yorkers will choose to
not only remain here, but also that others will choose
to join us in this city. And I also know
that it's my responsibility that for every single dollar that
we spend, that it is a dollar that New Yorkers
look at as a dollar well invested, because I know
for far too long, when New Yorkers have looked at
the New York City budget, they are not convinced in
(06:33):
the way in which this money is being spent. And
it's my job to show that every single one of
these dollars will transform quality of life for every New Yorker,
no matter how much money they're making.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
I know that income inequality has really been the cornerstone
of your campaign, and it's such a serious issue not
only in New York City but really all across the country.
But I'm curious, how do you balance without making tax
increases and regulations to onerous for some businesses that are
creating jobs and are being actively courted to relocate to
(07:05):
cities like Dallas, Miami, and Tampa. How do you balance
that with making sure that income inequality is addressed, because
you don't want to go overboard and send these businesses
to other cities, of course, because they're very important drivers
of the New York City economy.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
They are critical parts of the New York City economy,
and they're also critical parts of what it means to
be a New Yorker. And what I've heard from many
business owners of both smaller and larger businesses is the
fact that New York City has been expensive for a
long time, but now we are the most expensive city
in the United States of America, and it's an affordability crisis.
Also impacts these businesses because it makes it harder for
(07:48):
their workers to be able to afford to live in
the city. And when city government doesn't step up and
deliver universal childcare and partnership with the state, then sometimes
that means businesses have to actually pay childcare stipends to
their workers as a means for them to be able
to actually afford to live in this city. So I
say this to say that delivering on the affordability agenda
is one that will also make it easier to hire
(08:09):
and recruit the best of the best for businesses across
the country that are located here in our city. And
also that we're going to pair this with actually streamlining
so many of the regulations that small businesses face in
the city. We've committed to cutting fines and fees by
fifty percent. We've committed to saying that as someone who
proudly believes in regulated if I can give you a
reason for a regulation today, it means that regulation has
(08:31):
no reason exists. I mean, I spoke to a restaurant
owner who told me about the fact that he has
to pay twenty five dollars a year to the city
for the right to sell a frozen dessert. That does
not make minds to me. A barber shop owner who
has to fill out twenty four forms, go to seven agencies,
attend twelve in personecties to be able to open that barbershop.
That does not make much sense to me either. And
(08:51):
as someone who believes in the public sector, we have
to ensure that excellence and efficiency is at the heart
of that same sector. And that's what I hope to
develop here when I'm leaving this city.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
As you well know, running New York City is a
huge job. Eight point five million people, bigger than thirty
eight states, an economy larger than most countries. I know.
You've served in the New York Assembly for three terms,
and You've heard this repeatedly, but I think it's important
for me to ask you and for you to respond.
Do you have enough experience to do this job?
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Yes. I have the experience of leading both my Assembly
district as well as this campaign, and delivering for New
Yorker's time and time again while being in public life.
One of the things I'm most proud of is having
secured nearly half a billion dollars in debt relief for
working class taxi drivers across this city, going toe to
toe with City Hall when they weren't actually honoring their
promise to those who had bought them adallion with the
(09:44):
hopes of securing a middle class life. I've also been
the first person to win free buses in New York
City's history, as well as someone who was able to
fight off a proposal to build a frack gas power
plant in Queens. These are examples of what's possible when
we're actually willing to fight. And I'm also going to
be super grounding on myself with those who have the
experience that spans generations and mayoral administrations, because it's time
(10:05):
to actually build a team that is not characterized by
those that you already know, or those that are quickest
to say yes, but instead by those who have shown
excellence time and again a track record of delivering it.
Because we have an ambitious agenda and it's going to
require the best of the best to actually be able
to bring it through, and I'm confident of our ability
to attract and retain that talent.
Speaker 1 (10:30):
If you want to get smarter every morning with a
breakdown of the news and fascinating takes on health and
wellness and pop culture, sign up for our daily newsletter,
Wake Up Call by going to Katiecuric dot com. You know,
(10:51):
it is an ambitious agenda, but many of the things
you're proposing will need to be approved by Governor Hokel
tax increases, fast and free buses. After all, the MTA
is the state run agency and would not be under
your control. She's endorsed universal childcare, but could easily put
the cabash on some of your other ideas. So isn't
(11:11):
there a chance that you couldn't be able to implement
some of the policies you're running on, And what are
you able to do yourself unilaterally without state approval? If
you win on day one?
Speaker 2 (11:26):
You know and I've heard this also from Governor Cuomo
on the debate stage, and I think what we have
are two options in front that seek to try and
make working people's lives better, and then we have those
that seek to give up at the first opportunity. And
Governor Cuomo showed what it looked like to give up.
It means cutting tax breaks to your wealthiest donors while
refusing to actually ensure that you're fully funding the public
(11:47):
services that so many working class New Yorkers rely on.
And I am confident of our campaign's ability to deliver
on the commitments that we've made to New Yorkers. And
I'm proud to not only have the endorsement of Governor Hochle,
but also Assembly Speaker Carl Hasty, Majority Leader of the
State Senate Andrea Stewart Cousins. These are three of the
most important figures in Albany who make the determinations around
(12:08):
the budget, and their endorsements were also endorsements of the
agenda that we've been running on. And you know, when
I speak to New Yorkers, I also make very clear,
you know, no matter how many times Governor Cuomo speaks
about the things that he would not or could not do.
It is quite clear from the Mayor's office itself. We
have the power to appoint nine members of the Rent
(12:28):
Guidelines Board. It is that board that determines the rent
increase or lack thereof for more than two million rent
stabilized tenants here in New York City. That's the board
Eric Adams is used to raise the rents on those
New Yorkers by more than twelve percent. That's the board
that would actually deliver rent freezes because it's in line
with what we found time and time again that New
Yorker's actually deserve in this moment.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
You know, she was at an event with you, Governor
Hokeel and when you talked about raising taxes, she looked
a little trepidacious. So how we say, or little iffy,
are you convinced that you are going to be able
to to get her to go along with your game plan?
Speaker 2 (13:03):
You know, I have appreciated having the governor's endorsement and
even what she said the next morning at a press conference,
which is that her focus is on helping people who
are struggling, and that is one of the many things
that unites us, is on delivering for those New Yorkers
for whom this is a city that is far too
expensive for them to even be able to afford. And
I think that, you know, for me, I could continue
(13:24):
to believe that the two most straightforward ways of raising
the revenue to fund this suffordability agenda start to trump
proof our city are by increasing taxes on the top
one percent by two percent, by increasing the state's top
corporate tax rate to match that out of New Jersey.
And I've also said time and again the most important
thing is funding this agenda. This is the way I
think that makes sense, but we need to just fund.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
It right now. As you know, one in three Jewish
voters in New York are supporting you, but there are
others who have expressed concerns about your candidacy. I wanted
to read a quote written by a writer, Mehe Ahmad.
She is an editor for the Oubed section of the
New York Times. She really wrote about what your candidacy
(14:04):
meant to her as a Muslim, but she also talked
about Jewish voters in New York and she wrote, when
she asked someone named Hailey Seifer, the chief executive of
the Jewish Democratic Council of America, about you and your campaign,
Hailey Sofer said, Jewish new Yorkers are concerned that the
elected head of the city that has the largest Jewish
(14:27):
population outside of Israel is going to potentially give a
green light to those who want to inflict harm on
Jewish Americans. I don't think there's a belief among Jews
that he himself would be a perpetuator of violence, but
there's a concern that his language is giving a permissive
structure to those who may What would you say to
(14:48):
Jewish New Yorkers who worry about that and worry about
some of your past statements and positions.
Speaker 2 (14:55):
You know, I do not begrudge Jewish new Yorkers for
their skepticism in this race, because they, like any New Yorkers,
have had to deal with more than thirty million dollars
in opposition spending that has sought to portray myself more
as a caricature than actually as an individual. And I'm proud,
as you said, of the support that we have from
a number of Jewish New Yorkers, and I'm also looking
to be the mayor for every Jewish New Yorker and
every person that calls this city home and in doing so.
(15:18):
It's not just about the commitments that I have made
to root out anti Semitism across the city. It's also
about understanding the different ways in which we have to
act that we can actually deliver upon that commitment. That
means increasing funding by eight hundred percent for hate crime
prevention programs. It also means ensuring that there's NYPD officers
outside of synagogues and temples during the high holidays. You know,
(15:40):
I can tell you, Young Kippor, after the horrific anti
Semitic attack in Manchester, I had a rabbi reach out
to me and ask if I could send additional police
officers outside of their synagogue. I said absolutely, And I
was also deeply troubled by the potential of if that
rabbi did not know someone who is running to be
the next mayor, would they not have been able to
get that kind of protection. And my job is to
(16:01):
show that I'm looking to not just protect Jewish New Yorkers,
but frankly to celebrate and cherish those New Yorkers at
the heart of also what it means to be a
New Yorker.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
You know, it's interesting the role religion has played in
this campaign. And you gave an impassioned speech about the
anti Muslim hate that you've been facing, particularly in recent days.
It was a very powerful and moving speech. Can you
talk about what was going on and the attacks that
motivated you to give this speech?
Speaker 2 (16:31):
You know, I have seen the under islamophobia throughout much
of this race, and yet at that point it reached
a level that I had not seen in many, many years.
It was in bonse to Governor Cuomo going on a
radio go and as the choe host said that I
would cheer another nine to eleven, Governor Cuomo laughed and agreed.
(16:54):
He then, later on, as he was accepting Eric Adams's endorsement,
Mayor Adams said that he was doing so to stop
New York City from turning into you stop a movement
of violent extremists who were burning churches in Nigeria. And
this all while New Yorkers are turning on their TVs
and being ads bankrolled by Trump supporting billionaires, supporting images
(17:18):
of you with the word on my face, and polls
that are being sent out to New Yorkers asking them
if they would support a policy of making halal food mandatory.
The kind of fear mongering that has become endemic in
our politics was one that pushed me to actually name
what it is that so many of us have come
to expect, and also make clear that no matter how
(17:38):
unsurprising this is, it should still shock our conscience and
it should still be something that we say goodbye to.
As we say goodbye to Andrew Cuomo and Eric Adams
on November.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Fourth, what lessons have you learned during the course of
this campaign that you think might be helpful to other
Democrats running in the mid terms or in elections across
the country.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
You know, I think the key lesson for me is
to listen. To listen to New Yorkers. You know, so
often the impulse for politicians is to lecture. It is
to tell voters what it is that they should care about,
what they should consider to be an urgent issue in
their own lives. And what's actually required of us as
leaders is to listen to those that were looking to
serve and then to deliver on those concerns. And when
(18:19):
I asked New Yorkers what the number one concern in
their life was, they told me it was cost of living.
I didn't have to turn to a poll, I didn't
have to look to a consultant. I could just look
to a person that I was looking to represent. And
that's been at the heart of this campaign, trying to
build something that is reflective of that which is pushing
so many New Yorkers out of this.
Speaker 1 (18:36):
City before we go. My final question is there's so
much discord and division and hate out there. You know,
the country is so polarized, and people seem so angry,
and I'm just wondering, how can anyone in this current
climate provide a unifying voice and how can you No.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
I think it's so critically important for those of us
who are in politics in this moment to show that
it can be more than this division. It can be
more than what we see coming out of Washington, d C.
And to me, that comes from an expansive understanding of
who you're looking to serve and a definition of belonging
that doesn't seek to narrow itself each and every day
(19:16):
in the desperate last moments of an election. My belief
about who gets to call themselves in New Yorker is
anyone that wants to anyone that lives in this city,
anyone that is looking to actually find a home in
these five boroughs, and my job is to represent them all,
not just the ones that vote for me, not just
the ones that agree with me, but every single person
who calls the city home. I think it comes from
understanding that it's in each other that we find so
(19:39):
much of what we love about the city, and the
same lesson I think could be applied far beyond the
five boroughs that we call home.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
If you're elected, will you be able to fix the
Wi FI?
Speaker 2 (19:50):
If I was the mayor, this wouldn't have happened.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
Son Mandannie the technical difficulties. Thank you so much for
spending some time with us this afternoon. I know you're
a very busy man. We really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
Thank you so much, Katie. I'm sorry about all the difficulties.
But next time lean person.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
Hopefully that would be great. Maybe after you're elected, If
that happens, I can sit down and have a longer
conversation in person.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Well anything without wi FI I look forward to.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Thanks Chy, Thank you, thank your team too. We'll do
appreciate it. Thanks for listening everyone. If you have a
question for me, a subject you want us to cover,
or you want to share your thoughts about how you
navigate this crazy World reach out, send me a DM
on Instagram. I would love to hear from you. Next
(20:38):
Question is a production of iHeartMedia and Katie Kirk Media.
The executive producers are Me, Katie Kuric, and Courtney Ltz.
Our supervising producer is Ryan Martz, and our producers are
Adriana Fazzio and Meredith Barnes. Julian Weller composed our theme music.
For more information about today's episode, or to sign up
(21:01):
for my newsletter, wake Up Call, go to the description
in the podcast app, or visit us at Katiecuric dot com.
You can also find me on Instagram and all my
social media channels. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the
iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your
favorite shows,
Host
Katie Couric
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!