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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is pointing to stark racial wealth disparities — including a gap of more than $180,000 between White and Black households — to justify expanding diversity initiatives, raising taxes and cutting police positions.
Mamdani last week released a 375-page “Preliminary Racial Equity Plan” that argues systemic racism is a key driver of those disparities, with White households holding more than $200,000 in median wealth compared to less than $20,000 for Black households.
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Zohran Mamdani, mayor of New York, during a news conference at the WIN NYC family shelter in New York, US, on Thursday, March 5, 2026. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg)
The Mamdani administration says the report will serve as a roadmap for future policy, including restoring diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs and directing resources toward closing racial gaps in income, housing and education.
The push aligns with Mamdani’s broader $127 billion agenda, which includes higher taxes on wealthy residents and corporations, a potential 9.5% property tax increase if state lawmakers do not act, and a reduction of roughly 5,000 NYPD officers.
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A man sleeps on the E train, one of the subway lines most utilized by homeless New Yorkers for shelter, in Queens, New York, on Monday, April 7, 2025. (Victor J. Blue/The Washington Post/Getty Images)
“This is not an indictment of any one New Yorker,” Mamdani said during a Tuesday press conference. “It is an indictment, however, of policies and politics that have persisted for far too long.”
City officials described the plan as the first time a New York City administration has required major agencies to evaluate their work through a racial equity lens and identify disparities. The plan sets goals across seven areas, including the economy, housing, public safety, health and infrastructure.
The report traces racial disparities in the city back centuries, citing historical factors including colonization and slavery.
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One World Trade Center and the Manhattan skyline past commuters on the Staten Island ferry in New York on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (Adam Gray/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
The rollout quickly sparked pushback from conservatives and the Trump administration, which has sought to roll back race-based initiatives since taking power last year.
“Sounds fishy/illegal,” DOJ Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon posted on X. “Will review!”
“Straight-up racism against White people,” the conservative influencer account Libs of TikTok posted on X.
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“The reality is Mamdani is implementing blatantly racist policies that reward and punish people based on their skin color,” conservative commentator Paul A. Szypula posted on X.
The city has opened a 30-day public comment period as officials consider next steps.
Mamdani’s office did not respond to Digital’s request for comment.
