Despite his radical policy ideas, Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani seems to be the front-runner in the New York City mayoral race, according to several polls. His remaining opponents include former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, following the recent withdrawal of current NYC Mayor Eric Adams from the race over the weekend.
Mamdani’s platform includes a slew of controversial far-left programs for the city, including investing tens of millions of dollars in so-called “gender-affirming care” for adults and children.
‘New York City must be a refuge for LGBTQIA+ people, but private institutions in our own city have already started capitulating to Trump’s assault on trans rights.’
During a June interview with actor Laverne Cox, who identifies as transgender, Mamdani declared he would ensure that New York City is a “sanctuary city” for the “LGBTQIA+” community.
If elected mayor, he vowed to establish an office for “LGBTQIA+ affairs” and invest $65 million in “gender-affirming care.” Mamdani told Cox that to fight the Trump administration, New York City must fully fund its own services, which he plans to accomplish by “taxing the wealthiest New Yorkers and corporations.”
Mamdani’s “LGBTQIA+ Protections” sheet offered a breakdown of the $65 million, revealing that $57 million would be provided directly to hospitals and clinics offering these services to “both transgender youth and adults.” He also plans to take action against facilities that refuse to provide such services, claiming that they are violating the New York Constitution and other state and city laws.
“The Mamdani administration will coordinate with the NYS Attorney General and District Attorneys to investigate and hold public hearings on hospitals that deny trans youth their rightful healthcare and hold them accountable to the law,” the policy sheet read.
RELATED: NYC mayor race shake-up: Adams drops out, boosting Cuomo’s fight against Mamdani
Zohran Mamdani. Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
Mamdani intends to allocate $87 million for various LGBTQIA+ “support and services,” including $30 million for housing programs, $20 million for mental health services, and $10 million for organizations providing “transgender” services.
“Queer and trans people across the United States are facing an increasingly hostile political environment. New York City must be a refuge for LGBTQIA+ people, but private institutions in our own city have already started capitulating to Trump’s assault on trans rights,” Mamdani’s website states.
RELATED: Trump slams Hochul’s endorsement of ‘communist’ Mamdani: ‘No reason to be sending good money’
Photographer: Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg via Getty Images
His plans appear to directly violate the Trump administration’s January executive order, “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” which states that the federal government will withhold funding from institutions that support the use of puberty blockers or surgical procedures for children.
Mamdani has run on the platform of “Trump-proofing NYC,” which involves a greater reliance on local funding rather than federal support. To achieve his goals, he would implement an 11.5% tax on corporate profits, increase income taxes by 2% for households earning over $1 million per year, and hire additional staff for the Department of Finance. These workers would be responsible for enforcing tax laws, including collecting $2.1 billion in unpaid fines.
Blaze News contacted Mamdani and the White House for comment.
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