NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — The latest disagreement between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio involves the possibility of raising taxes on the wealthy to help fill massive budget gaps amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Cuomo continues to resist the idea, despite widespread support among fellow Democrats in Albany.
"We used to be worried with the millionaires' tax people might leave. No, no, no. The burden shifted, we're trying to get people to come back," Cuomo said earlier this week.
The governor said he's been begging people staying at their homes in the Hamptons and in Connecticut to come back to Manhattan.
"And I say, ‘You got to come back, when are you coming back? We'll go to dinner. I'll buy you a drink. Come over, I'll cook.' They're not coming back right now," Cuomo said, adding they'd never come back with higher taxes.
He fears they may decide to stay put in their suburban homes and pay taxes there.
"You know what else they're thinking, 'If I stay there' they pay a lower income tax," Cuomo said.
New York City's mayor sees it differently and takes issue with building policies around the wealthy.
"We do not make decision based on the wealthy few," de Blasio said, claiming that the rich have only gotten richer through the pandemic. "And it's time to look that in the face and say, 'You know what, wealthy New Yorkers can afford to pay a little bit more so that everyone else can make it through this crisis.'"
The mayor added, "There's a lot of New Yorkers who are wealthy who are true believers in New York City and will stand and fight with us, and there's some who may be fairweather friends, but they will be replaced by others."
Without more help from Washington, de Blasio said it's time to raise taxes on the rich.
"As we see from the stock market while everyone else is suffering the rich are getting richer," de Blasio said.