Mamdani Mendacity – Balanced Budgets and $50 World Cup Tickets

In the famous Tennessee Williams play, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Big Daddy says: “There ain’t nothin’ more powerful than the odor of mendacity.” Aside from the foul stench of garbage and sewage water that traverses the city that never sleeps, mendacity is a ubiquitous smell, and city hall is ground zero. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has played fast and loose with the facts lately, and democratic socialists are hooting and hollering this is proof that left-wing ideology works.

Zohran Mamdani Balances the Books

Left-leaning social media inhabitants gave Mamdani top Marx earlier this month when the mayor announced he had balanced New York City’s budget. The mayor refrained from Stalin any longer in his announcement, directly and immediately telling city dwellers – nay, the world – that he closed a $12 billion shortfall without putting the deficit “on the backs of working people” and impacting his progressive agenda of universal childcare and city-owned grocery stores

“When we came into office, we uncovered a $12 billion budget deficit. Today, I’m proud to say we brought it down to zero,” he said.

This is the best news the city has received since the New York Yankees won the World Series in the ancient times of 2009. Dislike socialism? Open your heart to the Big Apple and redistribute your happiness. Now everyone can hop on a free bus. Well, not so fast.

The situation is similar to the mayor’s smile: It looks nice on the surface, but something odious lurks behind it. The reality is that a state bailout and deferrals helped close the gaping budget hole, not Mamdani magic.

First, in a May 12 announcement, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said Albany will offer almost $8 billion in assistance over two years. This includes “an additional $4 billion gap-closing support” for one of the world’s largest cities.

Second, city hall budget documents suggest $1.64 billion in savings by “restructuring unfunded pension liability.” But this is not saving anything. Instead, the city had projected eliminating its pension debt by 2032, but the mayor’s plan delays this by five years and adds billions of dollars in overall costs to taxpayers. In other words, he is kicking the can down the road, making long-term pension liabilities somebody else’s problem.

Speaking of kicking…

World Cup Fever

Uh, oh. New Yorkers have a fever – World Cup fever, that is!

Soon, the world will set its sights on North America to watch men kick a ball around for 90 minutes, a global spectacle expected to cost American, Mexican, and Canadian taxpayers billions of dollars. The tickets are outrageously expensive, ranging from $600 for nosebleed seats during early round matches to $11,000 for good seats in the final stages.

Mamdani has you covered, Pelé bobby-soxers.

He said on May 21 that New York City has secured 1,000 discounted $50 World Cup tickets, allocated across the five group‑stage matches and two knockout contests at MetLife Stadium. In his social media video, the mayor announced:

“As we prepare to host the World Cup right outside of New York City, we know that ticket prices for this tournament have soared into the thousands of dollars. There are countless New Yorkers desperate to attend a World Cup match, but who simply cannot afford to go.

“We know that there are so many New Yorkers who thought that there was no way they could afford to go to this tournament, and now there is that glimpse of an opportunity.”

To get your hands on these coveted tickets, the city will erect a six-day lottery system, beginning on May 25. Eligible residents can submit one entry per day, and daily participation will be limited to 50,000 signups. Mamdani also required that only New York City residents be eligible and that all five boroughs receive representation. “This is just a question of if you sign up, and then it’s just a question of crossing your fingers,” the mayor said.

On the one hand, kudos to Mamdani for negotiating with one of the most questionable organizations on the planet. On the other hand, the ironic aspect of this story is: What would stop any one of the 1,000 people from winning the ticket and then selling it at market value?

While the city has not confirmed seat locations, reports suggest the lucky winners will be able to sit on the upper-deck Category 3 and 4 sections. As of now, these tickets are selling for well over $3,000 each. It would be safe to say that most individuals would prefer to nab $3,000 rather than squint at a soccer field. If so, this would negate the administration’s efforts, meaning working-class taxpayers are funding somebody’s winnings.

Delaying the Pain

Throughout history, socialist nations, whether the Soviet Union or Nazi Germany, regularly ignored economic reality by delaying pain and relying on short-term fixes. Price subsidies, zombie outfits, and tepid reforms only exacerbated their challenges. Unfortunately, this hallmark has become standard policy for Western conservative or liberal governments. Many leaders do not want to rip off the bandage, preferring to rub snake oil, employ gimmicks, and espouse mendacity.