Six of the most progressive mayors in the United States, including Zohran Mamdani of New York City, are reportedly planning to create a coalition with a strong leftist agenda. Skeptics worry this alliance could transform America from the “Land of the Free” to the “Land of the Fee.”
This diverse group of Democratic leaders features Chicago’s Brandon Johnson, Boston’s Michelle Wu, Oakland’s Barbara Lee, Seattle’s Katie Wilson, and Los Angeles’ Karen Bass, all known for their bold stances against capitalism.
Johnson stated, “We are currently in the process of establishing a coalition of mayors, similar to those formed by district and state attorneys, aimed at resisting federal overreach,” referring to their shared socialist objectives.
Mamdani has shown eagerness to collaborate with cities like Chicago and Boston, and the initiative has already secured support from Seattle, Oakland’s Mayor Lee, and Los Angeles’ Mayor Bass, according to Johnson in a video shared on X.
Critics argue that the policies advocated by these leaders have already contributed to challenges in their respective cities, such as increased homelessness, open drug use, and lenient justice systems favoring offenders over victims. They fear similar outcomes on a larger scale if these mayors unite.
“For taxpayers, it’s akin to Freddy and Jason joining forces to create a nightmare scenario,” remarked Doug Kellogg, state projects director for the conservative group Americans for Tax Reform, emphasizing the potential financial implications.
“These cities have driven millions to head to the exits since 2020 with crushing taxes, bloated budgets, and fiscal crises. If they start sharing their terrible policies, it can only speed up the decline of their cities.”
Since Mamdani was sworn in as mayor in January, he’s faced fierce criticism while struggling to deliver a radical policy agenda he campaigned on, which includes bringing Soviet-style, city-run grocery stores to NYC, implementing a rent freeze and expanding social services. New York racked up nearly 20 outside deaths during a brutal winter as civil libertarian refused to force homless people into shelters.
The pro-Palestine pol has also hired political operatives for his administration with a history of promoting Israel hate, while his own wife is facing bitter backlash over her “like” of a post claiming the rape of Israelis during the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas terror attack was a “mass hoax.”
Mamdani has also threatened to slam New Yorkers with a whopping 9.5% property tax hike to fill a $5.4 billion budget gap to help fund his lefty agenda. He once said it was time to shift the tax burden to “whiter” neighborhoods.
The five other mayors have enough political baggage to fill a cargo plane:
- Bass promised to bring even more diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) to far-left Los Angeles and tackle the city’s homeless and pollution problems after becoming mayor in December 2022. But she’s instead catching flak for defunding the Los Angeles Fire Department by $17 million, contributing to it being underprepared to tackle wildfires that ravaged the city in January. In 2020, she waxed poetic in a eulogy for a top leader of the U.S. Communist Party.
- Johnson, Chicago’s mayor since 2023, introduced a budget for this fiscal year that included a $1.2 billion shortfall, which was ultimately filled at the expense of taxpayers and by racking up more city debt. He’s also come under fire for mismanaging the city’s migrant crisis, trying to slap large companies with more taxes at the risk of driving away jobs, and pushing a “soft-on-crime” agenda that included terminating cops’ use of the ShotSpotter gunfire-detection system because he felt it unfairly targeted minority communities.
- Wu, Boston’s mayor since 2021, has been in a longstanding feud with the Department of Justice over Boston’s sanctuary city laws, which led the feds to file a lawsuit in September claiming Beantown’s policies are illegal and protect dangerous criminals. She also faced backlash in 2023 for hosting an “Electeds of Color Holiday Party” with invitations accidentally going out to white City Council members not invited.
- Lee, since becoming Oakland’s mayor in May, has faced withering criticism for failing to retain cops. Critics, including the Trump administration, have called on Oakland to be more aggressive in combatting crime. It has seen a decline in crime, but it is still viewed as one of the most dangerous cities in America.
- Wilson, who took office in January, has already come under fire for refusing to remove homeless tent encampments in public parks and pushing most drug-possession cases to diversion programs instead of prosecution. Like Mamdani, she was once a vocal “Defund the Police” supporter who backed off the stance after running for mayor.
“Nothing says ‘terrible idea’ like six cities famous for sky-high taxes and persistent crime deciding the solution is to compare notes,” said Bruce Blakeman, New York’s Republican gubernatorial nominee.
Mamdani’s reps said he’s in regular contact with many other mayors and governors across the country but insisted he’s yet to decide whether to join new coalition.
“Mayor Johnson raised a proposal related to this idea,” said one rep. “While Mayor Mamdani did not make any commitments to this proposal, he appreciated the exchange and will continue to have conversations with mayors, governors, and elected officials across the country.”
Johnson’s spokesperson Griffin Krueger also insisted the coalition is in the planning stages, adding no one has officially committed to joining.
A rep for Lee said she and City of Oakland have already agreed to join.
“Policies and solutions that will help increase the quality of life and affordability for every resident in Oakland” is what Lee hopes to get out of being a member, said her spokesperson Justin Phillips.
Reps for the Los Angeles, Boston and Seattle mayors didn’t return messages.
NYC Councilman Frank Morano said he has serious concerns whether such a radical coalition has Americans’ best interest at heart.
“Collaboration among mayors can be very productive, but if the premise of the club is that capitalism is the problem, they may end up sharing the same ideas that got many big cities into trouble in the first place,” said the Staten Island Republican.
The mayoral squad will only be trouble if Mamdani is part of it, added Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY).
“The socialist antisemite mayor is destroying New York City for hardworking families, all while he plays dress up in his custom Carhartt costumes designed by his pro-Hamas wife and filmed by his pro-Hamas political allies,” she ripped. “It is no wonder people, businesses, and families are fleeing in droves. New York is in deep deep trouble with socialists and jihadists on the march.”
