Bezos vs Mamdani: a tax clash over Queens teachers and NYC luxury homes

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani pushed back at Jeff Bezos after Bezos said raising billionaire taxes wouldn’t help “that teacher in Queens,” while Bezos urged eliminating federal income taxes for the bottom half of earners. Mamdani and Gov. Hochul back a pied-à-terre tax on luxury $5 million+ city homes to fund services, with comptroller projections around $340–$380 million annually (contested by higher- or lower-end estimates). NYC teacher salaries are set to rise in 2026, illustrating the city’s ongoing tax-the-rich strategy to address affordability and fund services.