New survey data bolsters the mayor’s budget strategy as he visits childcare sites and praises his polling position
Good Numbers on Two Fronts
On a Wednesday in early March, Mayor Zohran Mamdani was making the rounds at childcare facilities in South Richmond Hill, Queens, and he was in a good mood. There was reason for it: the previous day’s Siena College poll had shown that 54 percent of New York voters support the mayor’s preferred solution to the city’s $5.4 billion budget gap — a state-authorized tax increase on New Yorkers earning more than one million dollars annually — over the alternative of a citywide property tax increase. That number gives the mayor’s budget strategy a public legitimacy that is independent of the support of state legislative leaders or the governor.
The Poll’s Significance
The Siena survey was conducted in the context of a public standoff between Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul over how to close the city’s budget gap. Mamdani has been explicit: if Albany does not authorize a millionaires tax, the only tool left in the city’s hands is a 9.5 percent property tax increase, which he has described as a “last resort” that would fall hardest on working-class homeowners and renters. The poll finding that a majority of voters prefer the wealth tax approach over property taxes gives Mamdani a political argument: the public agrees with him. That is a meaningful position to be in heading into budget negotiations. Council Speaker Julie Menin, who has said property tax increases “should not be on the table whatsoever,” has not publicly aligned with the wealth tax approach, but the polling creates pressure.
The 2K Rollout, Again
Mamdani’s visits to South Richmond Hill childcare sites were part of the ongoing rollout of the 2K program announcement. At the events, he celebrated with families and caregivers who will benefit from the program’s first phase, framing the visits as evidence that the administration is delivering on its signature promise. ABC7, which was granted exclusive access, reported on the mayor’s comments about the Siena poll and his childcare plans.
What the Numbers Mean for Albany
The state legislative calendar means that the budget negotiations between the governor and the legislature are currently in their most active phase. Both the state Senate and the Assembly have indicated they plan to introduce legislation aligned with the mayor’s tax proposal. Whether Hochul will ultimately accept any version of the millionaires tax — given her stated position that current revenues are sufficient — remains the central uncertainty. The Siena Research Institute at Siena College conducts the most widely cited independent polling on New York state politics. NYC’s Office of Management and Budget publishes detailed fiscal year budget documents, including the preliminary budget that frames the current negotiation.
