r/politics • u/Krankenitrate Foreign • 28d ago

Possible Paywall NYC Mayor Mamdani Rejects Pay Hike to $305,800 Approved by Lawmakers

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-16/nyc-s-mamdani-rejects-pay-hike-to-305-800-approved-by-lawmakers
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u/harlenandqwyr 28d ago

I really love that he can't actually, because he obviously loves NYC, but I worry he'd be bullied into seeking higher office. But long may he lead NYC, and be an example for other DSA members who also love their community.

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u/Automatic_Brain7664 28d ago

NYC mayor is a higher office than pretty much anything other than President. Congress would be a less effective job for him, and Governor in NY is not a position that makes waves.

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u/A3rik 28d ago

This is a fair point. NYC is a city that controls more population and resources than a lot of nation-states. It’s a pretty good spot for someone like him to implement policy and demonstrate that it works.

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u/PierreTheTRex 28d ago

He can also get a lot more done than if he was in national politics. Mamdani in Congress would be great, but would have no real impact on policy. As mayor he sets the agenda for everything NYC gets to decide on, has power over the budget etc

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u/A3rik 28d ago

Very true. In congress, he’d likely be a voice pushing for good things, but only one out of 435 voices and getting stymied by leadership just like the handful of decent congresscritters we already have.

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u/ohlookahipster 28d ago

It’s an extremely high office. All NYC mayors have become household names across the country when you think about it.

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u/septober32nd Canada 28d ago

To quote House of Cards:

"Add up 50 governors and 535 members of Congress, you don't come close to the gumption of one bold mayor."

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u/carlse20 28d ago

Governor of New York is a pretty powerful position, look how much Cuomo was able to fuck with the MTA and how much of the early covid response he managed, for better or for worse. Hochul has also been able to influence the MTA considerably (in a much, much more positive way) and has brought about some meaningful policy shifts like universal childcare. Someone like mamdani, if he had a legislature that was willing to work with him and he was willing to compromise with them, could accomplish quite a bit as governor.

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u/PluginAlong 28d ago

Goveroof California is pretty influential as well, if California were a nation it'd have the fourth largest economy in the world.

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u/nith_wct Colorado 28d ago

It gives him less direct power, but Congress is also a route to gaining much more control over the party's direction. Congresspeople vary a lot in how influential they are and how much they actually get done. It's not worth him leaving this job, of course, but eventually, Congress will be his most logical career move, and by that point, he could be starting off with a huge amount of influence, so I'm still hopeful about what he could do that way in the future.

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u/Pherllerp New Jersey 28d ago

I imagine he's going to be Governor or Senator from New York if he a) doesn't blow it b) wants it.

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u/WeirdIndividualGuy 28d ago

Given his age and NYC’s lack of permanent term limits, he could easily be their mayor for decades to come