Mamdani: “Socialism for You, Mega-Raises for Me”

New York City finally elected its first full-blown democratic socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani, a man who rode into office promising affordability, free buses, rent freezes, universal childcare, and a government that would finally fight for the little guy. And right on cue—before he even finds where the light switches are in the mayor’s office—the very first major action coming his way is a massive 16% pay raise for himself and the rest of the political class. If you ever wanted to watch a campaign promise collide with reality at 200 miles an hour, pull up a chair. This is going to be fun.

The New York City Council, already making more than most members of Congress, has decided they’re simply not appreciated enough. Council members currently earn $148,500, but the bill introduced by Nantasha Williams would bump them to a cushy $172,500. The mayor, public advocate, comptroller, and borough presidents all get their slice too. For Mamdani himself, that means a jump from $258,000 to just shy of $300,000. Apparently, “affordability” starts with making sure elected officials can afford nicer apartments in Astoria than the people they claim to represent.

The best part? They’re fast-tracking the whole thing. A hearing by the end of the year, a vote in January, no time wasted. It’s almost like they wanted to wait until after the election before raiding the taxpayer cookie jar. You can practically hear the strategists whispering, “Shh, don’t bring this up until after the votes are counted. Then we can talk about how hard we work and how much we deserve it.”

And here’s where the comedy becomes deliciously awkward. The raise puts Mamdani in a bind so perfect it could’ve been written by HBO. If he signs the bill, he looks like every other big-government socialist who talks about the working class while cashing checks the working class could never dream of. If he vetoes it, he risks angering the same political machine that helped put him in office. It’s the kind of crossroads every socialist eventually meets: do you live out your ideals, or do you take the money and upgrade your lifestyle?

Remember, Mamdani built his entire platform on making New York “affordable.” He railed against greedy landlords, corporate profiteers, and the political elite who “forget the people they serve.” Yet here he is, about to become the highest-paid socialist in the country. Even Bernie Sanders might raise an eyebrow at this one. The irony is so thick you could spread it on a bagel and sell it at a city-run grocery store.

Of course, supporters will argue that a salary increase is necessary to attract “talent.” But let’s be honest: if nearly $260,000 a year isn’t enough incentive to do the job, no amount of money will fix what’s actually wrong with New York’s leadership. Meanwhile, the average NYC resident is trying to figure out how to pay rent, groceries, transit, and taxes without taking out a second mortgage on their sanity. But sure, give the council a raise—after all, they’re the real oppressed class here.

When Mamdani ran for mayor, he vowed to stand with the people who “feel squeezed by the system.” Now he has a chance to prove whether he meant that, or whether that message was about as authentic as a campaign flyer printed at Kinko’s. Will he veto the raise and tell the city that leadership doesn’t mean lining your pocket first? Or will he quietly sign the bill and hope no one notices that his first act as a socialist reformer is to pad the political class with tens of thousands of extra taxpayer dollars?

If Mamdani wants to distinguish himself from the typical New York machine politician, this is the moment. A socialist mayor turning down a pay raise during an affordability crisis would actually be newsworthy. It would get national attention. It would show he believes the things he said. But if he signs off on making the government more “affordable” only for the government itself, then New Yorkers will see exactly what this new era is really about—and it won’t be the working class.

This is the perfect early test for the new mayor. Does Zohran Mamdani stand with the people struggling to afford their lives, or with the politicians struggling to afford a nicer office chair? We’re about to find out.

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JIMMY

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