Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine is openly courting New York City businesses, offering them tax breaks if Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani is elected mayor.
Romaine, who has been vocal about his opposition to commuter tax and congestion pricing in NYC, made his position clear during an interview with John Catsimatidis on his radio show “The Cats Roundtable.”
To Catsimatidis’ comment that Florida is recruiting NYC business owners, Romane added that “Come to Florida is good but come on out to Suffolk County isn’t that far of a move.” The county executive said that if Mamdani wins, he will “approach business owners in New York City and offer them tax breaks.”
Mark Jaffe, President, The Greater New York Chamber of Commerce told the Press that he does not find Romaine’s stance surprising.
“It’s obvious that if someone is going to raise taxes it will be advantageous to neighboring cities,” He said. “Looks like the Suffolk County executive is taking advantage of it.”
Jaffe, however, is “not sure if Mamdani is going to be elected.” He insists that “we at the greater New York Chamber of Commerce and business community are very much concerned about getting a pragmatic mayor and Mamdani is an idealist. He is a Democratic Socialist.”
Mamdani won the New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary with a 12 percentage point margin win against his opponent, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. And a latest survey by Zenith Research and Public Progress Solutions shows Mamdani with a 50% favorability rating to win the Mayoral election.
Romaine thinks that Mamdani “does not have the life experience and wisdom” needed to gain “perspective on what works and what does not.” While it highlights a growing concern of the business community over Mamdani’s proposed taxation policies, the Democratic nominee continues to gain favor from Jewish, South Asian and East Asian communities who believe in his vision to make the city more affordable.
Similarly, some small business owners are also looking forward to the change. Caroline Weaver, founder of The Locavore Guide believes that “it’s too soon to panic.” For her, Mamdani “has the potential to create an environment where small businesses are more supported than they are currently.”
The county executive also discussed what he called unfavourable policies that are “driving people out of the city,” such as the congestion pricing toll when drivers enter parts of Manhattan and policies such as the commuter tax that “undercuts and hurts our communities.”
When people travel to the city they spend money in restaurants and other businesses which adds to the city’s revenue. These policies, he believes, will have an adverse impact.
Weaver, however, believes that “leaving isn’t the answer.” Adding that “small businesses cannot survive in a city that prioritizes the needs and demands of corporations and billionaires, but there’s got to be a way that everyone can co-exist functionally.”
The upcoming elections will definitively shape the city’s future, impacting neighboring communities like Long Island, which prides itself on being business friendly.
