Waste of the Day: New NYC Agency Dubbed “Office of Mass Re-election”
Topline: Most New Yorkers are already well aware of the political beliefs of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, whether they agree or disagree with them. But just in case anyone remains in the dark, Mamdani is spending nearly $2 million for 15 salaries at the Mayor’s Office of Mass Engagement, according to the New York Post.
The brand new, vaguely defined agency will be “responsible for strategizing, coordinating, and executing on engagement that reaches the masses of everyday New Yorkers.”
Critics like the Post have dubbed it “Zo’s Office of Mass Re-election,” arguing it will help the mayor appeal to voters without actually advancing policy.
Key facts: Tascha Van Auken, a field director during Mamdani’s mayoral campaign, will earn $250,000 to lead the new office.
The city is also seeking two campaign directors to “develop strategy, process, and metrics of success for scalable campaigns that help New Yorkers join town halls, training, canvases, and other events that forge relationships and leadership development among regular New Yorkers.” They will make $140,000 to $150,000.
Other employees will include borough managers who will represent the city during emergencies like fires or crime.
The new department will oversee existing agencies like The Mayor’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Partnerships. It is unknown how much taxpayer funding it will receive aside from the payroll expense.
Search all federal, state and local salaries and vendor spending with the world’s largest government spending database at OpenTheBooks.com.
Critical quote: Political consultant Hank Sheinkopf told the New York Post, “We need more cops, more probation officers, more direct services. All this agency will do is propagandize to chill opposition to mayoral activities.”
Summary: New York City is currently facing a $5.4 billion budget deficit, which Comptroller Mark Levine predicts will nearly double by 2027. The solution is downsizing frivolous government programs, not creating new ones.
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