New York Governor Kathy Hochul has rejected Mayor Zohran Mamdani's push to raise income taxes on wealthy New Yorkers.

Hochul made clear that she is unlikely to change her stance on a tax hike aimed at millionaires and large corporations. Without such increases, Mamdani has said he would raise property taxes in the city by 9.5%. 

Instead, Hochul reiterated her goal of strengthening the state’s economy by attracting and expanding businesses to broaden the overall tax base.

“We may not agree on everything — or even many things sometimes — and that’s okay,” Hochul said of her relationship with Mamdani, according to a local news outlet. “What I promised the people of this state was a productive partnership with the mayor of New York City — something we haven’t consistently seen in a long time.”

On the subject of national politics, Hochul described her approach to dealing with the Trump administration as pragmatic but assertive. She said she aims to maintain open channels with the White House while standing up for New Yorkers’ interests, particularly on immigration enforcement policies involving federal agencies like ICE.