The strategy proposed by Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani to increase taxes on corporations and affluent New Yorkers is causing a division among general election voters, according to a recent poll.
Around 48% of those polled supported raising the corporate tax for companies based in the city to fund free public transit and affordable housing, while 42% backed the idea of increasing taxes on the city’s wealthiest residents, according to findings from Honan Strategy Group.
However, enthusiasm for raising corporate taxes dropped to 36% when voters considered the possibility of businesses leaving New York City as a consequence of the tax hike.
“Should the city consider increasing the corporate tax for NYC-based companies to finance affordable housing and free public transit?” participants were asked initially.
While 48% said yes, 42% said no, according to the poll.
The poll also asked, “Would you support free public buses if funded by a wealth tax?”
Only 42% said yes, while 47% were opposed and 11% were unsure, the poll found.
Slightly more than half — 53% — backed Mamdani’s proposal for city-run grocery stores aimed at lowering food prices, even if that requires moderate tax increases on high earners, according to the poll. But 35% were opposed to the government-run stores while another 12% said they were unsure, the poll said.
Meanwhile, 51% supported a rent-freeze on rent-stabilized apartments even if it meant increased
taxes on millionaires, while 28% opposed the proposal and 20% are unsure, according to the poll.
Mamdani has proposed a new 2% tax on millionaires, and shifting the property tax burden to wealthier, “whiter” neighborhoods.
But voters are divided when asked what is the single most important issue facing today: 21% cite housing affordability, while another 21% say crime and violence.
Another 14% of respondents cited Donald Trump, 8% said corruption and 7% said quality-of-life issues.
As the Democratic nominee, Mamdani is considered the frontrunner in the mayor’s race in deeply blue New York. He’ll be facing incumbent Eric Adams and ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo — both running on independent ballot lines — as well as Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and independent Jim Walden.
“While there is consensus about some of the financial burdens that New Yorkers are feeling, opinions are more mixed and divided about some of the proposed policy solutions,” pollster Bradley Honan said.
Mamdani’s tax-the-rich proposals that would require approval in Albany and Gov. Kathy Hochul has so far seemed unwilling to support the measures. Still, voters overwhelmingly agree that the Big Apple is too expensive a place to live, according to the survey.
For example, 93% of respondents said the city is having an affordability crisis and 80% agreed with the statement that New York City is increasingly only affordable for the rich people of Manhattan.
The poll also found that 72% agree their family is struggling to achieve the American Dream despite their hard work and effort and 61% agree that their personal income has stagnated and are not sure whether they can get ahead or not, while 56% say they are struggling every month to pay their rent/mortgage.
Nearly two-thirds of voters said inflation had caused them moderate or significant hardship in the past year, while 25% said no hardship and 10% weren’t unsure.
Many voters are concerned about the city’s condition.
Only 15% believe that the city is heading in the right direction, while 53% feel it is on the wrong track and 32% said they didn’t know.
The mobile phone text survey of 817 likely voters was taken June 25-26 — right after Mamdani’s primary victory. It has a margin of error of +/-3.42%.
