Zohran Mamdani’s NYC mayor salary sparks debate for being ‘surprisingly low’
Zohran Mamdani won the New York City mayoral race earlier this month, capping a stunning ascent for the progressive state lawmaker who ran on restoring power to the working class. When he takes office in January, 34-year-old Mamdani will become the first Muslim mayor of New York City, as well as its youngest in a century. Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference at the Unisphere in Flushing Meadows Corona Park(Getty Images via AFP) Mamdani has promised a transformative agenda, proposing free child care, free buses and city-run grocery stores. His promise to make New York City more affordable has been panned as financially unrealic skeptics. While Indian-origin Zohran Mamdani ran his campaign on affordability, his own salary as mayor of New York City might raise eyebrows. How much will Zohran Mamdani earn as NYC mayor?As mayor of New York City, Mamdani will be entitled to a salary of $258,750 a year. He will get an additional perk — he will get to live rent-free in Gracie Mansion, the official residence of the mayor of NYC. Mamdani’s own net worth is estimated to be around $200,000, according to financial disclosures filed to the city government which do not require a tally of cash accounts. A ‘surprisingly low’ salary?Mamdani earning around $260,000 was called a “surprisingly low” salary many social media users. Some pointed out that new graduates in certain high-paying fields would make more than the mayor of New York City. “Unpopular opinion: the NYC mayor should make more than an entry level employee in big law/tech. $260k is surprisingly low,” wrote X user Colin. “Actually quite a low salary relative to the skillset needed to run a city like NYC,” another person opined. (Also read: ‘I can tell you in English’: Zohran Mamdani avoids speaking Hindi in viral street interview) “Personally I think a guy overseeing a trillion in annual GDP should make more than the VP of a small-cap company,” a user said. “The Mayor of New York City should be getting paid $5 million a year at least,” wrote Vikas Reddy, founder of Light Tw. (With inputs from agencies)
