New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani built much of his political brand around the promise of making wealthy New Yorkers pay a larger share of the city’s costs. Now, some of the celebrities who helped propel his campaign may find themselves paying those higher taxes.
Mamdani recently celebrated the implementation of New York’s first pied-à-terre tax, which targets luxury second homes owned by people whose primary residence is outside New York City. The surcharge applies to one-, two-, and three-family homes, condominiums, and co-ops valued above $5 million, with City Hall projecting that it will generate approximately $500 million annually for the city’s budget.
Zohran Mamdani delivers his victory speech – YouTube, ABC News
As one of the world’s leading centers for entertainment, publishing, television, and the arts, New York is home to countless celebrities. Many of Mamdani’s most prominent supporters either live in the city full time or own luxury properties there.
Critics Say Tax Database Crossed a Line
To accompany the rollout, the city’s Department of Finance published a searchable database identifying properties that may qualify for the tax. The move immediately sparked backlash. Critics accused City Hall of effectively “doxxing” thousands of property owners by making their names, addresses, and property information easily searchable online before determining who actually owed the tax. Others pointed to apparent errors in the preliminary list, including individuals who insisted the listed properties were actually their primary residences.
Cynthia Nixon in The Gilded Age – HBO Max
Beyond the privacy concerns, the database also revealed that several of Mamdani’s celebrity supporters could soon be paying the very tax he championed. According to the New York Post and Newsweek, actress Cynthia Nixon, Vogue editor Anna Wintour, actor Alan Cumming, and several other high-profile New Yorkers are among those who may ultimately owe the surcharge if their properties qualify.
Celebrities Backed Mamdani’s Campaign
Cynthia Nixon was one of Mamdani’s most vocal celebrity supporters throughout his campaign. In an Instagram post celebrating his election, she wrote, “Folks, this is just the beginning. Zohran is going to need our support every step of the way to move the mountains he has set out to move, and he’s going to need ALL OF US to do it. I woke up this morning with a hopeful, fresh new outlook on the world, but we’ve only just begun.”
Likewise, X-Men star Alan Cumming celebrated Mamdani’s victory on Instagram the day after the election. Among the many things he said he was thankful for, Cumming wrote, “Zohran Mamdani is the new Mayor of New York City and today the world seems a better place.”
Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler in X2 – Disney+
Anna Wintour also welcomed Mamdani’s arrival at City Hall. During an April interview with Vogue, she praised his wife, Rama Duwaji, saying, “I’m full of admiration for New York City’s new first lady because she looks so cool and wears a lot of vintage—young and modern and also entirely herself.”
Campaign Promises Become Reality
Whether the tax ultimately generates the projected revenue remains to be seen. What is already clear, however, is that Mamdani’s pledge to make wealthy New Yorkers shoulder a greater share of the city’s tax burden is no longer just campaign rhetoric. If their properties ultimately qualify, some of the celebrities who enthusiastically supported his rise to City Hall may soon find themselves among the first high-profile New Yorkers to personally finance that agenda.
How do you feel about Mamdani’s celebrity supporters being hit with the new tax? Sound off and let us know!
