Hochul defies Mamdani with new budget featuring tax on Zyn but not the rich

Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) is unveiling her $260 billion state budget on Tuesday, an ambitious proposal that includes a tax on nicotine products like Zyn but skips an income tax hike.

The budget proposal signals Hochul’s defiance of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who wants to tax the rich as part of his economic agenda. Hochul argued otherwise.

“I don’t believe in raising taxes for the sake of raising taxes,” she said last week. “What is served by that? We have high taxes already predating my time. We have enough revenues to do what we want to do and what we need to do to support our state. So, beyond that, I don’t see a justification.”

That said, Hochul intends to crack down on tobacco-free