Mamdani: Use of ‘Richer and White Neighborhoods’ in Explaining Tax Reforms Are Just ‘Descriptors’

MOHYELDIN You ve talked ░░░░░░░░ lot about inclusivity and ░░░░░░░░ to keep expanding this ░░░░░░░░ I wanted to ask ░░░░░░░░ about one of your ░░░░░░░░ that has raised a ░░░░░░░░ bit of eyebrows because ░░░░░░░░ s the language that ░░░░░░░░ used and it s ░░░░░░░░ in a memo that ░░░░░░░░ on your website about ░░░░░░░░ York homeowners You ve ░░░░░░░░ that you ve wanted ░░░░░░░░ shift the tax burden ░░░░░░░░ overtaxed homeowners in the ░░░░░░░░ boroughs to more expensive ░░░░░░░░ in richer and white ░░░░░░░░ Can you clarify that ░░░░░░░░ did you feel the ░░░░░░░░ to use that language ░░░░░░░░ some people whether it ░░░░░░░░ the accurate description of ░░░░░░░░ pure demographics or not ░░░░░░░░ has been used by ░░░░░░░░ in the media I ░░░░░░░░ sure you ve seen ░░░░░░░░ New York Post headlines ░░░░░░░░ others to sow and ░░░░░░░░ divisions in this city ░░░░░░░░ did you feel the ░░░░░░░░ to use that language ░░░░░░░░ It was more of ░░░░░░░░ description of the neighborhoods ░░░░░░░░ are currently being undertaxed ░░░░░░░░ opposed to the intention ░░░░░░░░ where we would tax ░░░░░░░░ Yorkers Nothing can be ░░░░░░░░ backwards from some kind ░░░░░░░░ racial goal in this ░░░░░░░░ It has to be ░░░░░░░░ system that is actually ░░░░░░░░ And what we ve ░░░░░░░░ time and again is ░░░░░░░░ the property tax system ░░░░░░░░ something that is unfair ░░░░░░░░ it is something that ░░░░░░░░ Eric Adams acknowledged when ░░░░░░░░ was running in 2021 ░░░░░░░░ that he promised to ░░░░░░░░ within 100 days of ░░░░░░░░ the mayor and then ░░░░░░░░ he did instead was ░░░░░░░░ defend it at every ░░░░░░░░ juncture in court and ░░░░░░░░ lose And the reason ░░░░░░░░ he lost is because ░░░░░░░░ know it s inequitable ░░░░░░░░ is something that is ░░░░░░░░ glaring example of city ░░░░░░░░ inability to meet the ░░░░░░░░ And the use of ░░░░░░░░ language is more of ░░░░░░░░ descriptor of the neighborhoods ░░░░░░░░ opposed to an intention ░░░░░░░░ the goal.”