Kathy Hochul Begs Millionaires to Ask Their Friends Who Fled NY to Return So She Can Tax Them

New York Governor Kathy Hochul delivered a stark admission this week: the state’s tax base is eroding
as high-net-worth residents continue to depart for lower-tax destinations, leaving behind a funding gap for the expansive social programs that define the Empire State’s approach to governance.

Speaking at Politico’s New York Agenda: Albany Summit, Hochul openly pleaded for wealthy individuals—many now residing in places like Florida and Texas—to return or persuade their peers to do so, acknowledging that these taxpayers are essential to sustaining the generous welfare framework New York has built.

The governor’s remarks came amid mounting pressure from progressive voices, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has pushed for significant tax increases on the rich to address budget shortfalls. Hochul resisted those calls, arguing instead for retention rather than coercion.

She praised a handful of “patriotic millionaires” who have voluntarily contributed, but emphasized the need for broader participation.

From Hijra to City Hall: Islam, Migration, and the Rise of Mamdani

By Raymond Ibrahim, Feb 20, 2026 

Twenty-five years after Muslim terrorists killed 2,800 people in New York City on September 11, 2001, a self-identified Muslim has, for the first time in that city’s history, become mayor.

What is the significance of this, and what does it really tell us?

On January 1, 2026, Zohran Mamdani — 35 years old, born in Uganda to Indian parents, Shia Muslim, former housing counselor and rapper (“Young Cardamom”), self-described democratic socialist — was sworn in as mayor of New York City. He has been described by many, including the President of the United States, as a “100% Communist Lunatic.”

Others accuse him of being a closet Muslim radical working to subvert New York to Islam. Their concerns are not unwarranted (not least since Shia Islam is notorious for internalizing taqiyya, a doctrine that promotes dissembling).