Mamdani fires back at Bezos over Queens teacher tax remark

In a recent exchange, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani took a stand against Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of raising taxes on billionaires for aiding working-class New Yorkers. During an interview on CNBC, Bezos stated, "You could double the taxes I pay, and it's not gonna help that teacher in Queens. I promise you," to which Mamdani retorted on X, emphasizing, "I know a few teachers in Queens who would beg to differ." Bezos advocated for tax reductions aimed at low-income Americans, proposing the elimination of federal income taxes for the lower half of earners. He highlighted that the top 1% contribute approximately 40% of total tax revenue, while the bottom half only account for 3%. "I don't think it should be 3%," Bezos argued. "I think it should be zero." According to the Tax Foundation, which relies on conservative funding, the bottom half of taxpayers reported an adjusted gross income of nearly $54,000 in 2023, while those in the top 1% earned at least $676,000. In terms of education, starting salaries for New York City teachers as of September 2025 were set at $68,902 for those with a bachelor's degree without prior experience and $77,455 for those holding a master's degree, with plans for increases in September 2026. This confrontation underscores Mamdani's commitment to a tax-the-rich agenda, which he believes is essential for securing funding for city services and tackling the affordability crisis in New York. Alongside New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Mamdani is advocating for a new pied-à-terre tax on luxury homes valued at $5 million or more, even after retracting a broader property tax increase proposal. He has estimated that this new tax could yield $500 million annually, although the city's comptroller has projected a lower figure ranging from $340 million to $380 million due to potential changes in property owner behavior. In response to the pied-à-terre tax proposal, Bezos commented that it could be beneficial for New York.