New York's Socialist Lawmakers Gear Up for High-Stakes Session
As the new legislative session in Albany kicks off, a small but influential group of socialist lawmakers are poised to push their agenda forward, inspired by the surprise mayoral victory of former Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani. With one fewer member than before, the group of eight lawmakers is more determined than ever to capitalize on the momentum created by Mamdani's win.
State Senator Jabari Brisport of Brooklyn says that "we are in a political moment where we can actually seize this opportunity and push really far on those fronts." The lawmakers' priority list includes raising taxes on the state's highest earners to fund universal child care and free buses, which Mamdani campaigned on delivering in New York City.
Despite facing stiff opposition from Governor Kathy Hochul and business groups, who claim that higher taxes will drive high earners out of the state, the socialist lawmakers remain resolute. Brisport believes that increasing revenue is the only way to raise enough funds for these ambitious initiatives, saying "I know the governor has been hoping for a unicorn to come through and pay for it, but there is no other way out."
The coalition's efforts are backed by several key bills aimed at raising billions of dollars in new revenue. The "Fair Share Act," sponsored by Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest, would impose a 2% surcharge on individuals making over $1 million in income annually, an estimate suggesting it could raise $4 billion.
While previous plans for taxing wealthy New Yorkers have stalled at the state level, Hochul has recently signaled a willingness to increase the corporate tax rate. Mamdani and his colleagues are pushing for this change, but so far, the governor's stance remains non-committal.
One goal shared by all parties is enacting a universal child care program, a priority Mamdani championed during his mayoral campaign. However, the socialist lawmakers acknowledge that getting there won't be easy, particularly with the Trump administration recently freezing $10 billion in child care subsidies to Democratic-led states.
To push their agenda forward, the DSA-aligned lawmakers plan to mobilize thousands of New Yorkers to knock on doors and pressure legislators and the governor to support their tax proposals. Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha, who represents a rural district but says her constituents are among the most progressive in the state, sees Mamdani's election as proof that socialist messaging resonates across the state.
As the session unfolds, the fate of these ambitious policies hangs in the balance. Will the socialist lawmakers succeed in pushing their agenda forward, or will they face another setback at the hands of Governor Hochul and business groups?
As the new legislative session in Albany kicks off, a small but influential group of socialist lawmakers are poised to push their agenda forward, inspired by the surprise mayoral victory of former Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani. With one fewer member than before, the group of eight lawmakers is more determined than ever to capitalize on the momentum created by Mamdani's win.
State Senator Jabari Brisport of Brooklyn says that "we are in a political moment where we can actually seize this opportunity and push really far on those fronts." The lawmakers' priority list includes raising taxes on the state's highest earners to fund universal child care and free buses, which Mamdani campaigned on delivering in New York City.
Despite facing stiff opposition from Governor Kathy Hochul and business groups, who claim that higher taxes will drive high earners out of the state, the socialist lawmakers remain resolute. Brisport believes that increasing revenue is the only way to raise enough funds for these ambitious initiatives, saying "I know the governor has been hoping for a unicorn to come through and pay for it, but there is no other way out."
The coalition's efforts are backed by several key bills aimed at raising billions of dollars in new revenue. The "Fair Share Act," sponsored by Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest, would impose a 2% surcharge on individuals making over $1 million in income annually, an estimate suggesting it could raise $4 billion.
While previous plans for taxing wealthy New Yorkers have stalled at the state level, Hochul has recently signaled a willingness to increase the corporate tax rate. Mamdani and his colleagues are pushing for this change, but so far, the governor's stance remains non-committal.
One goal shared by all parties is enacting a universal child care program, a priority Mamdani championed during his mayoral campaign. However, the socialist lawmakers acknowledge that getting there won't be easy, particularly with the Trump administration recently freezing $10 billion in child care subsidies to Democratic-led states.
To push their agenda forward, the DSA-aligned lawmakers plan to mobilize thousands of New Yorkers to knock on doors and pressure legislators and the governor to support their tax proposals. Assemblymember Sarahana Shrestha, who represents a rural district but says her constituents are among the most progressive in the state, sees Mamdani's election as proof that socialist messaging resonates across the state.
As the session unfolds, the fate of these ambitious policies hangs in the balance. Will the socialist lawmakers succeed in pushing their agenda forward, or will they face another setback at the hands of Governor Hochul and business groups?
these new york lawmakers are totes on a roll 
Mamdani's win was a total game-changer and now the socialist crew is ready to make some noise 
I think their plan to raise taxes on the rich could be a major win for universal child care and free buses 
it's all about who's got the funds, right? 
governor Hochul might not like it but the people will know if she's holding them back 
this is gonna be a wild ride and I'm here for it 
. I mean, taxing the rich and free buses sounds like a no-brainer to me. It's about time we prioritize the people over the 1% 
. I'm rooting for Jabari Brisport and his crew to make some real progress on this stuff 
The way things are going, I'm kinda excited to see where this all goes. It's been a while since we've seen some real action on policy changes 
. Maybe it's time for New York to get its act together and prioritize people over profits 
.
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8 lawmakers are so determined to pass universal child care and free buses 
. They need to convince thousands of New Yorkers to support their tax proposals 
. The "Fair Share Act" could raise billions of dollars, that's a big help 
I gotta say, it's super inspiring to see a group of lawmakers standing up for what they believe in & fighting for policies that can make a real difference in people's lives 
. It's great that these socialist lawmakers are pushing forward with a "Fair Share Act" to raise revenue, even if it means increasing taxes on the wealthy 
. Like, who needs a unicorn when you have billions of dollars to be made from taxing the rich? 
Meanwhile, Governor Hochul is still hoping for that mythical unicorn and business groups think they're above paying their fair share. 
. As someone who lives in New York, I'm tired of seeing politicians promise us the world and then not deliver 
. But still, it'd be amazing to see some real progress on universal child care and affordable transit 
.
. I mean, it’s not like they’re asking for the moon here, but at the same time, it feels like some people are still assuming that this stuff can just magically happen without any resistance 
. It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out, but I'm definitely rooting for them 
.
), maybe they got some traction there? 
Thousands of New Yorkers gonna make their voices heard. Fingers crossed for those ambitious policies to fly this session!