Mayor Mamdani Infuriates NYPD After ‘Wild’ Move
It seems Zohran Mamdani hasn’t quite received the message that he’s now the mayor of America’s biggest city, not this bit player activist in the New York Assembly.
And the NYPD guys would love it if he figured that out, make their job that much easier.
Mamdani is calling on New Yorkers to protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to New York City by taking to the streets, a move that has drawn criticism from some members of the New York Police Department.
The call for the demonstration comes after a tough run for the NYPD, which has recently provided security for several high-profile events including the FIFA World Cup, Independence Day celebrations and the America 250 festivities that drew millions of visitors.
Opponents say the call for more mass protests will put more pressure on police resources.
“The mayor’s activist posturing puts police officers on the street in a terrible position,” NYPD Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry said, per the New York Post.
“Protests during the UN General Assembly are nothing new, but when the mayor of the city is actively calling for demonstrations, violent agitators will assume they have permission to cause as much havoc as possible,” he added.
“Those same agitators know that the NYPD’s protest response is already hamstrung by the dangerous lawsuit settlement the city signed over the PBA’s opposition,” said Hendry.
“The mayor’s heated rhetoric could be enough to push demonstrations over the edge into chaos.”
Since before his mayoral campaign, Mamdani has been a vocal critic of Netanyahu, with some critics saying his criticisms of Israel in general smack of anti-Semitism.
During the campaign, he said he would seek to have Netanyahu arrested if he visited New York City, citing the 2024 warrant issued by the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
This week, however, Mamdani acknowledged that he does not have the legal authority to carry out such an arrest.
He instead encouraged New Yorkers to protest Netanyahu’s visit, a move critics say will require additional security and crowd-management efforts from the NYPD, The Post continued.
“This is a city where, if anyone feels a level of frustration or opposition, protest is something that we will always respect,” Mamdani told reporters at City Hall this week.
“That New Yorkers can express themselves, whether they are in support or in opposition, no matter on whatever topic,” he said.
“And I’ve always said that when we respect our Constitution, we also respect our First Amendment,” he claimed.
The NYPD recently managed an exceptionally busy summer that brought an unprecedented influx of visitors to the city.
Officers worked extended 12-hour shifts to provide security for the additional crowds and major public events, successfully carrying out those responsibilities.
Critics now argue that the mayor’s call for large-scale protests will place further demands on an already heavily tasked police force.
“Was he serious?” one incredulous Manhattan
“Cops just came off a crazy six weeks between the Knicks and the World Cup working long hours every day, and now he’s going to subject them to unnecessary problems,” the officer added, per The Post.
Seniors Set To Receive Big Tax Relief Thanks to Trump, GOP
The first major piece of legislation the GOP congressional majority passed and President Donald Trump signed last year, during his first months back in office, was a bill to make their 2017 tax cuts permanent.
Every Democrat voted against the measure even though the cuts benefited the vast majority of Americans.
Now, the administration is touting another benefit for Americans 65 and older ahead of next year’s tax filing deadline.
A significant, though temporary, tax change for older Americans comes in the form of a new benefit known as the “senior bonus deduction.”
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Included in the 2025 tax legislation, the provision is intended to provide additional tax relief for retirees and older taxpayers.
While the concept of a new deduction may seem straightforward, it has raised questions about who qualifies and how the deduction is applied, the Kiplinger Letter noted this week.
For example, taxpayers who are 65 or older and typically itemize their deductions may wonder if they can also benefit from the new senior bonus deduction.
Fortunately, the new deduction is highly flexible, noted the outlet.
Most taxpayers who claim the standard deduction can also take advantage of the senior bonus deduction in addition to the extra standard deduction available to those age 65 and older.
Taxpayers who choose to itemize their deductions are also eligible to claim the bonus.
“This bonus allows taxpayers age 65 and older to claim an additional deduction — up to $6,000 for singles, or $12,000 for married couples when both spouses qualify,” Kiplinger noted, adding some “key points” about the benefit:
You must be 65 or older by December 31, 2025.
The bonus amount tops out at $6,000 for individuals and $12,000 for married couples when both spouses are 65 and older.
This deduction phases out above a certain income level: Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) of $75,000 for singles and $150,000 for those married, filing jointly. It phases out completely for MAGI above $175,000 and $250,000, respectively.
The IRS says you must “include the Social Security Number of the qualifying individual(s) on the return, and file jointly if married, to claim the deduction.”
Because the deduction is available whether you itemize or claim the standard deduction, it can benefit taxpayers who have enough deductible expenses to itemize while still providing an additional opportunity to reduce their taxable income.
But all said, the benefit is, set to expire after the 2028 tax season unless it is renewed by Congress, Kiplinger noted.
Trump signed the legislation, known as the “Big, Beautiful Bill” on July 4, 2025.
Earlier this month, to mark the occasion ahead of the nation’s 250th birthday, the White House put out a press release touting the legislation’s accomplishments.
“The success of President Trump’s widely popular tax breaks, like No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime, No Tax on Social Security and Made in America Car-Loan deductions, is undeniable,” the statement said.
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“A look at the first-year’s results shows that nearly 70% of filers who received a tax cut earned less than $100,000,” it added.
The release also included several things the legislation achieved:
