Hochul Sends $1.5B In Taxpayer Dollars to NYC As Mamdani Pushes Major Tax Hike
ALBANY, NY — Governor Kathy Hochul announced a major fiscal intervention on Monday, committing $1.5 billion in state taxpayer funds to New York City over the next two fiscal years. The funding package, divided into $1 billion for the current year and $500 million for the next, arrives just 24 hours before Mayor Zohran Mamdani is set to reveal his highly anticipated city budget.
Stabilization Amidst a Shifting Deficit
The state aid is intended to act as a stabilizer for the city’s finances as Mamdani grapples with a multi-billion dollar shortfall. While the Mayor initially warned of a $12 billion gap—blaming his predecessor Eric Adams for "underbudgeting"—that figure was recently revised down by over $5 billion. The discovery of $7.2 billion in unexpected tax revenue, largely fueled by a surge in Wall Street bonuses, has provided some breathing room for City Hall.
The Standoff Over Tax Hikes
Despite the improved revenue outlook, Mayor Mamdani remains committed to his progressive fiscal agenda. He is continuing to push Albany to authorize a 2% income tax hike on residents earning more than $1 million annually.
Governor Hochul, however, remains hesitant. With a reelection campaign looming this year, political observers suggest she is wary of alienating moderate and independent voters by raising taxes. The $1.5 billion aid package is viewed by many as a compromise that allows Hochul to support the city without officially backing the Mayor's tax-the-rich proposal.
Shifting Costs to the State
According to the Governor's office, the state will assume responsibility for several high-cost initiatives previously funded by the city:
$300 Million: Dedicated to youth violence prevention programs.
$60 Million: Allocated for public health efforts.
Sales Tax Revenue: Millions in revenue will be redirected back to the city treasury.
Political Implications
The move has drawn both praise and skepticism. While Mamdani stated he was "heartened" by the productive relationship between City Hall and Albany, some Democratic operatives have labeled the move as "opportunistic." Critics argue the funding is a tactical maneuver by Hochul to pacify the liberal wing of the party before the election.
"A strong New York City means a stronger New York state," Hochul said in a statement. "This investment protects services and puts the city on stable financial footing."
Mayor Mamdani is scheduled to reveal his full fiscal plans for 2026 and 2027 on Tuesday. Both plans must legally be balanced, making the $1.5 billion in state aid a critical component of his upcoming presentation.
'Guilty Of Fraud' - Hammer Dropped On Former First Lady Jill Biden During Live Fox News Segment
McEnany Accuses Jill Biden Of Misleading Americans About Debate Performance
Posted July 15, 2026
Former White House press secretary and Fox News host Kayleigh McEnany accused former first lady Jill Biden of misleading the American public about President Joe Biden’s condition following his widely criticized debate performance during the 2024 campaign.
McEnany made the remarks Thursday during an appearance on Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom,” where she reacted to comments Jill Biden reportedly made in her upcoming book regarding the president’s performance during the debate that ultimately intensified questions about his age and fitness for office.
The discussion began when co-host Dana Perino referenced remarks Jill Biden made immediately following the debate.
At a campaign event after the debate, Jill Biden praised her husband’s performance.
“Joe, you did such a great job. You answered every question,” she said at the time.
Perino contrasted those comments with more recent claims attributed to Jill Biden and raised questions about the apparent inconsistency.
“So now we know that this is what she’s saying in her book,” Perino said. “And the question I would love to ask her is where are you lying then or now?”
McEnany responded by arguing that Jill Biden’s reaction following the debate was inconsistent with her more recent descriptions of the event.
“It’s a great question,” McEnany said.
“That is not the reaction of someone who believes they just watched their husband have a stroke. It is an absolute lie.”
McEnany then accused the former first lady of concealing concerns about the president’s condition from voters.
“It was fraud,” she said.
“What she did fraud on the American public and she’s continuing it by saying she had never seen him like that before or after.”
The debate between Biden and President Donald Trump became a turning point in the 2024 election cycle, with many Democrats publicly expressing concern about Biden’s performance and his ability to continue his campaign.
Questions about Biden’s age and mental sharpness had circulated for years, but the debate intensified those concerns and fueled calls from some Democrats for him to step aside.
During the Fox News discussion, McEnany referenced comments previously made by veteran journalist Carl Bernstein regarding Biden’s condition behind the scenes.
“Dana, you all remember Carl Bernstein, who said he talked to people who knew Joe Biden, loved Joe Biden, supported Joe Biden, and they were adamant that what we saw was not a one-off,” McEnany said.
According to McEnany, Bernstein reported that individuals close to Biden had observed similar episodes before the debate.
“They said it had happened 15 or 20 times prior, him losing his train of thought,” she said.
McEnany also cited a fundraiser Bernstein reportedly described.
“He described a fundraiser where he froze up and seemed to have some type of rigor mortis,” she said.
“This is not something that was a one-off.”
McEnany argued that concerns about Biden’s condition were widely known among those close to him.
“This was well known,” she said.
She then questioned why Jill Biden continued publicly defending her husband following the debate.
“So why did she keep up with the fraud on the American people?” McEnany asked.
The former first lady has repeatedly defended her husband and rejected claims that she or members of his inner circle concealed concerns about his health, Breitbart News reported.
The debate over Biden’s condition became one of the defining political stories of the 2024 election cycle and continued after he ultimately left the race.
McEnany’s comments reflect ongoing scrutiny surrounding what Biden’s family, advisers and top Democratic officials knew about his condition and when they knew it.
Neither Jill Biden nor representatives for the former president immediately responded to McEnany’s latest remarks.
As new books and accounts from those involved continue to emerge, questions surrounding Biden’s final campaign and the decisions made by those closest to him remain a major topic of political debate.
