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Lefties turned out in droves for Sunday’s “Tax the Rich” rally featuring Sen. Bernie Sanders in The Bronx — but Mayor Mamdani refused to show face as he walks a tightrope with Gov. Hochul over taxes.
At least 1,000 people filled Lehman College’s sprawling performing arts center, where Sanders (I-Vt.) spent nearly an hour pushing his own proposal targeting the wealthy.
“A few years ago, it was estimated that Elon Musk, the wealthiest man alive, paid an effective tax rate of less than 3.3%, while the average truck driver in America paid an effective tax rate of 8.4%,” Bernie told the crowd, which answered with agreeing boos and chants of “Shame! Shame!”
“That is what the mayor of New York City is fighting for,” said Sanders, 84.
“All over this country, in New York state, and here in New York City, the American people are demanding a tax system which is progressive, which is fair, and demands those people who have the much, who have the most, start paying their fair share.”
Sanders has been pushing for an extra 5% tax nationwide on anybody worth $1 billion or more — a move resembling the 2% proposed extra tax on New Yorkers earning $1 million or more that Mamdani has been pressuring Hochul to approve since taking office in January.
Hochul — the only real stumbling block to pass the Mamdani tax — has come right out and said she would not support such legislation, leading to a diplomatic dance between the state’s two most powerful leaders as June budget deadlines and November elections loom.
That dance was put on full display Sunday when Mamdani declined to join his socialist banner-waver Sanders onstage and instead left the lieutenants to make his pitch for him.
“I would ask Gov. Hochul listen to where the people are at,” Sanders said. “The people of this city, the people of this state, the people of this country, do not want to see our kids go hungry. Do not want to see people sleep out on the street lack health care.
“They want the very rich to start paying their fair share of taxes,” he said. “I would hope that the governor joins the vast majority of the people who want to see that happen.”
The past two months have seen periods of tension and detente between Mamdani and the gov.
Hochul in February funneled more than a billion dollars to New York City to help offset a its budget deficit, while Mamdani just days later threatened to hike Big Apple property taxes by nearly 10% if Hochul wouldn’t sign his tax on the wealthy to gain even more revenue.
But Mamdani also endorsed Hochul’s bid for re-election in the fall — and some have speculated she is simply waiting to win her seat back before signing the mayor’s controversial tax into law, as many state lawmakers have voiced support for the measure.
Liberals who turned out to cheer on Sanders on Sunday did their part pushing Mamdani’s agenda on Hochul in his stead.
“I want to say Gov. Hochul — you are the governor because of these people,” 52-year-old Bronx resident Rowshon Sharker told The Post.
“These people voted for you.
“Mamdani trying to do his job, but we are the part of the people,” she said. “We are here to say the words. We elected Mamdani for our basic needs, right, universal child care, housing and every point.”
Leaders from Mamdani’s Democratic Socialists of America also took up the mayor’s cause to take Hochul to task.
“She is a public servant, and she owes us the decency of listening to us,” said city DSA co-Chair Grace Mausser.
“The people of New York have put her there, and the people of New York want to tax and rich. So if she wants to stay in office, she should do it. too.”
Some attendees seemed unfazed by Mamdani’s absence at the rally.
“We have a history of working an inside-outside strategy with all of our electives for years at this point, and we don’t take orders from the mayor,” said Mausser’s DSA co-chair, Gustavo Gordillo.
“We’re here to build an agitational movement that’s going to force the governor to tax the rich, and that’s what the mayor wants as well.
“We want to tell Hochul she needs to choose a side, whether she’s on the side of the working class in New York or on the side of the billionaires and the 1%” he said.
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