Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled a 375-page Preliminary Racial Equity Plan highlighting a racial wealth gap of more than $180,000 between White and Black households. The plan proposes expanded DEI efforts, new racial equity offices, and funding shifts tied to a $127 billion city agenda that could include tax increases and roughly 5,000 NYPD position cuts. The rollout drew immediate conservative criticism and a signaled DOJ review; a 30-day public comment period is now open.
NYC Mayor Mamdani Cites $180K Racial-Wealth Gap, Proposes DEI Expansion, Tax Hikes and NYPD Cuts
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.(Getty Images)
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani this week released a 375-page Preliminary Racial Equity Plan that highlights a stark racial wealth divide — reporting median household wealth of more than $200,000 for White households versus under $20,000 for Black households — and uses those findings to justify a package of policy changes, funding shifts and agency reviews.
What the Plan Proposes
The administration frames the report as a roadmap to address disparities across seven priority areas: the economy, housing, public safety, health, education, infrastructure and government operations. Proposed measures include restoring and expanding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, creating new racial equity offices with six-figure positions, and redirecting some resources away from traditional public safety budgets.
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.
Those changes are tied to Mamdani’s broader $127 billion agenda, which calls for higher taxes on wealthy residents and corporations and flags a potential 9.5% property tax increase if the state does not intervene. The mayor is also proposing a reduction of roughly 5,000 NYPD positions as part of the budget reshaping.
Administration Rationale
"This is not an indictment of any one New Yorker," Mamdani said at a press conference. "It is an indictment, however, of policies and politics that have persisted for far too long."
The report traces racial disparities back centuries and points to historical drivers such as colonization and slavery as contributors to today's wealth and opportunity gaps.
One World Trade Center and the Manhattan skyline past commuters on the Staten Island ferry in New York on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025.
Public Reaction and Next Steps
The rollout prompted swift criticism from conservative commentators and some federal officials. The Department of Justice civil-rights leadership indicated it would review the plan. Online critics described the proposals as discriminatory, while supporters say the measures are necessary to dismantle systemic barriers.
The city has opened a 30-day public comment period as officials consider next steps. Mamdani’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment at the time of publication.
Key Documents
Report: 375-page Preliminary Racial Equity Plan (city administration)
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