Mamdani balanced NYC's budget and Republicans are hysterical

Golly, it seems like socialism is working in NY City.

It seems that the democratic socialist mayor of New York City is more effective at governing than many viewers on both sides of the aisle anticipated. 

Mayor Zohran Mamdani presented a new budget to the public on May 12, announcing that he’d shrunk the deficit from $12 billion to zero through a combination of slimming down costs and assistance from Albany. Miraculously, he managed to do this without cutting government services, tapping into the city’s “rainy day” fund or raising property taxes, as he’d threatened to do.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2026/05/22/mamdani-balanced-new-york-city-budget-critics/90164556007/#

Now for the facts.

The $12B deficit was a made up number that he originally presented.  It includes the usual government funny money accounting of pushing off expenses to the future and claiming savings that never get realized. 

He is getting a short term $4B bailout from hochul in attempt to buy votes for her re-election.  This money will go away in the future.

Class sizes are increasing

He is underfunding the pension funds by $2.3B.  Again money that will have to be paid back.

There is a $2B reduction in unidentified cost savings.

There is a $1.2B cut in a housing and education voucher program - that is spending cut.

There is a tax on second homes but as a result Citadel is considering cancelling a $6B project and shifting jobs out of NYC.

There are increased fees for ambulance calls, parking tickets, tree removal, gun permits, STAR taxes, etc.  all fees to be paid by the citizens.

Note that all these savings and bailouts are less than $12B

Where are the free buses?  The rent freeze may not happen. The grocery stores are at least 2 years away.