Mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani held firm on his progressive agenda during a high-profile meeting with New York City’s top business leaders on Tuesday, reports New York.The Democratic candidate refused to soften his stance on raising taxes on the wealthy and corporations if elected.Mamdani told the group of roughly 100 CEOs that his proposals are necessary to build a fairer city. The meeting was arranged at Mamdani’s own request and hosted at Tishman Speyer’s offices in Rockefeller Plaza.
No retreat on tax plan
Mamdani has previously said that “billionaires shouldn’t exist”, but he calmly fielded questions for 90 minutes. One attendee said, “He didn’t back away from any policy position, though he did so in a non-confrontational manner. It shows he’s a good politician. He was very confident.”When questioned about his plan to hike taxes on corporations and millionaires, Mamdani pointed to history. He reminded the group that such tax increases had not previously caused an exodus of high earners from the city.Despite pressure, Mamdani avoided walking back debatable remarks from his past, such as using the Marxist phrase “seizing the means of production”. He instead dismissed it as a rookie mistake, one attendee noted.Another source quoted by New York Post expressed frustration, saying, “He talks so much and says so little.” The same source added, “(Mamdani) speaks very well, in paragraphs. He’s well organised. It’s easy to fall into the trap of not getting an answer to your question.”
Tough questions, but no missteps
The conversation also touched on Mamdani’s past statements on Israel and Palestine, with some business leaders challenging him over his refusal to condemn slogans like “globalise the intifada”. According to attendees, Mamdani said he discouraged such phrases. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla reportedly pressed him over his use of the term “genocide” in reference to Gaza.Mamdani stayed composed and managed to sidestep potential pitfalls. “He faced some tough questions. I don’t think he gained any support, but didn’t do any harm and was prepared,” a business source told The Post. Another added, “The thing he did is showed up with confidence like he is going to be mayor.”Despite the significance of the event, many top executives chose not to attend. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, who recently called Mamdani a “Marxist”, skipped the session citing a scheduling conflict. Other Wall Street leaders reportedly sent junior representatives in their place.
Building bridges behind the scenes
The meeting comes as Mamdani moves toward the general election, where he will face mayor Eric Adams, Republican Curtis Sliwa, former governor Andrew Cuomo running as an independent, and Jim Walden.In recent weeks, Mamdani has begun meeting one-on-one with individual business leaders. On Monday, he met with members of the Black Economic Alliance, including tech investor Charles Phillips. One source close to Mamdani said, “He’s proven himself to be a savvy campaigner.”In his comments before the sitdown, Mamdani said he was looking to work with everyone. “My interest is a partnership, not in the politics,” he said.
