A Vote For Mahtab Is A Vote For:
+Taxing The Rich
As a Democratic Socialist, I believe that we need to tax the rich (ultra millionaires and billionaires). The rich otherwise known as the top 1% need to pay their fair share of taxes for us to better utilize that funding for the community and lessen the burden on everyone else. Since 2021, I've supported and helped provide outreach for Invest In Our New York (IONY) to tax the rich so that we can invest as well as provide more funding for our communities here in New York.
+Human Rights
I am an anti-war and human rights activist. I believe that taxpayer dollars should not go to any foreign governments or nonprofits sending taxpayer dollars to foreign governments violating international law by committing human rights violations or war crimes as recognized by the United Nations. Nor should nonprofits or businesses involved in sending money to foreign governments committing human rights violations or war crimes receive tax breaks. Our taxpayer dollars should not go towards these wars and conflicts, and should instead be invested in our communities here in America.
I support BDS (Boycotts, Divestments, and Sanctions) on any and all foreign governments complicit in human rights violations and war crimes as recognized by the United Nations.
+Affordability
I am working class and as a former volunteer on Mayor Zohran Mamdani's campaign,
I support helping advocate for his vision of an affordable New York that works for everyone. I will fight for his platform on the state level for affordability with Universal Childcare, Fast + Free Busses, Affordable Groceries, Rent Freeze, etc. Being able to live a dignified life is a basic human right.
I will also join my fellow legislators in city and state government to pressure the Governor to support Mayor Mamdani's platform.
I also hope to expand on Zohran's platform in also advocating for free MTA Subway transportation accessibility and a rent freeze for all tenant (not just for tenants of rent stabilized units).
I also hope to pass a rent freeze for small businesses
(mom and pop shops) including restaurants who have been struggling as well with many having closed down or being priced out due to expenses with inflation and risings rent because of greedy landlords.
+Housing Justice
I am a tenant and housing rights activist because I believe housing is a human right. For too long, working class New Yorkers have been forced to shoulder the burden of rising rents while wages remain stagnant and wealthy landlords and corporations continue to profit. It was deeply disappointing to see rent increases approved year after year, including during the pandemic, when many people lost work and struggled just to survive. At the same time, the minimum wage has remained around sixteen dollars an hour, while large corporations and real estate interests exploit loopholes, avoid taxes, and receive public subsidies that protect profits rather than people.
I support a statewide rent freeze to stop landlords and the real estate industry from continuing to raise rents. This protection should also extend to small businesses, neighborhood shops, and restaurants that are being priced out of their communities. New Yorkers and local businesses should not only be able to stay in New York, but have the opportunity to thrive.
Many tenants have been unable to access rent relief or catch up on back rent due to language barriers, income restrictions, or immigration status. Housing assistance programs must be inclusive and accessible to all New Yorkers without discrimination.
We also need stronger laws to hold bad landlords accountable and expanded tenant protections to prevent eviction without good cause. Finally, we must address the housing crisis by investing in real solutions such as social housing, public housing, and community land trusts that create truly affordable, stable homes for the long term.
+Medicare For All
I am an advocate for free healthcare and believe that universal health care is a human right. I support Medicare-for-All because the high cost of care is driven by greedy health insurance companies and the politicians in their pockets. These insurance companies and politicians are in it for the profits from stock gains to campaign donations, and not for the health and safety of Americans, and they must be held accountable.
We need a single-payer national health insurance program to provide all New Yorkers with comprehensive coverage. Health care must be expanded to all immigrant community members, regardless of eligibility under current programs. There should be no networks, premiums, deductibles, copays, surprise bills, or middlemen acting as barriers between patients and their rightful access to care.
I also support the New York Health Act (NYHA), a state-level solution designed to address many of the systemic issues within our current healthcare system. By implementing single-payer coverage through NYHA, we can ensure that every New Yorker receives the care they need without financial burden or unnecessary obstacles.
Health care is a human right, not a privilege, and I will fight to ensure that it is accessible, affordable, and comprehensive for everyone in our state.
+Public Safety
I strongly support Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s vision for public safety, which prioritizes protecting communities through care, prevention, and accountability rather than punishment alone. A key part of this vision is creating an additional department staffed by mental health professionals to respond to mental health crises and de-escalate situations before they turn tragic. Incidents like the death of Win Rozario, where officers Cianfrocco and Alongi failed to support him or his family in another instance of police brutality where they chose to use excessive force. This incident could've easily been prevented or de-escalated had there been mental health professionals in the scene or if the NYPD was trained for mental health crises.
Public safety must also include stronger protections outside schools and religious institutions. Law enforcement should focus their time and resources where protection is most needed, particularly in preventing and responding to hate crimes targeting religious communities, immigrants, and ethnic minorities. At the same time, we must end racial profiling and discriminatory surveillance practices, including the intentional targeting of Muslim communities with Muslim Surveillance.
I do not believe additional policing or increased police funding is necessary as the budget is already sufficient. However funding currently spent on international law enforcement trainings should be redirected to local, United States-based training that does not involve or partner with foreign governments. Taxpayer dollars should remain in our communities and be reinvested in schools, universal childcare, and other essential public services.
City and state law enforcement should also be prohibited from cooperating with or sharing data with the federal government or immigration agencies. New York must protect immigrant communities from unlawful detention and constitutional violations.
Finally, ending qualified immunity is essential to holding officers accountable when they abuse their power, use excessive force, or fail to protect the people they are sworn to serve.
+Protection For Immigrant Rights
The right to seek a better life, refuge, and political asylum is a human right.
I am an immigrant rights activist, a second generation immigrant, and the proud son of Bangladeshi immigrants who came to New York with little to no money, leaving behind their homes and families behind in search of a better life to start a new life. Like so many others, my parents came seeking dignity, safety, and opportunity.
At a time when racism and authoritarianism are on the rise, it is more important than ever to protect immigrant communities. I strongly support maintaining New York City’s sanctuary status and expanding these protections statewide so New York can become the first true sanctuary state in the nation, living up to the promise symbolized by the Statue of Liberty. This includes ending all city and state cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, prohibiting the sharing of personal data, and preventing the NYPD from working with ICE. I also support banning federal immigration agents from concealing their identities and believe they should not operate in New York at all.
I believe we need to have a restoration of Municipal Voting rights, but even try expanding it for the state level so that all immigrant community members who are at least Green Card Holders, filing their taxes, or contributing to the economy can be able to vote. If community members pay their taxes and contribute to the community, they have every right to vote. After all we once protested for no taxation without representation.
We need to also provide more protections and health coverage for immigrant community members. No one should be excluded from health care.
+Language Access & Diversity
Language justice is a human right.
I am a strong supporter of language accessibility and diversity through inclusivity. I believe every city, state, and federal government including agencies and departments should prioritize inclusive hiring practices that reflect the communities they serve. This includes prioritizing candidates from BIPOC and marginalized communities and those who are fluent in languages widely spoken in the community. Representation matters at all levels of government and in the agencies and departments funded by it.
Resources and information should also be provided in multiple languages. Nonprofits and businesses receiving taxpayer dollars or tax breaks should adhere to the same standards, ensuring inclusivity in hiring and communication.
We should provide free statewide English language programs for community members, available both in person and via Zoom. Job training programs should also be offered in multiple languages to address the rise of unemployment and ensure equitable access to economic opportunities.
Additionally, we need a restoration of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies to strengthen representation for BIPOC and marginalized communities, especially those historically underrepresented in various fields. By prioritizing inclusive hiring, multilingual resources, and accessible training, we can create a government and workforce that truly reflects the communities they serve.
+Free Public College & Fully Funded Schools
Quality education is a basic human right.
As a product of NYC public schools and a graduate of CUNY John Jay College, I was fortunate to receive a quality education for free. I believe all public colleges (CUNY and SUNY campuses) should be tuition-free and that all student loans forgiven with any existing student debt being canceled.
Public schools must also be fully funded to ensure students receive a quality education. This includes hiring more teachers, expanding schools, building additional classrooms, providing teachers with adequate wages, and securing sufficient funding for books and supplies. By investing in our students and educators, we can create an equitable education system that prepares all students for success, regardless of their background or financial circumstances.
+Environmental Justice
Climate action and a livable planet is a basic human right.
As an environmental justice activist who has helped fight for the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) and Build Public Renewables Act (BPRA) to get passed, I believe we should also go beyond and pass the Green New Deal. We should push for legislators to support the Green New Deal so that we may address climate change sooner and more efficiently. We need to listen to scientists and heed their warnings, since the impending threats of climate change would prevent the planet from being livable and make it difficult for future generations to handle the worsening conditions of global warming and natural disasters.
We also need state funding to install solar panels on every building rooftop where there is space to implement them. We also need state funding to implement green spaces on building rooftops for trees, community gardens, and/or park space. These green spaces would help absorb carbon emissions and produce more fresh air.
We need to support public power so that we can prevent energy companies such as Con Edison and National Grid from taking advantage of people from marginalized and working-class backgrounds who are struggling to make ends meet due to financial hardships.
We need New York to switch out of fossil fuels and use natural and renewable energy instead, such as wind, water, and solar energy.
We need to create "green-collar" jobs for environmental-related professions pertaining to work in renewable energy and helping us transition out of fossil fuels.
