The outgoing head of the Big Apple’s top business advocacy group said Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s team is treating local employers like the “enemy” — as she hoped Hizzoner would step into the void.
“I think there’s reason to be nervous in the sense that so far what we’ve heard on the business side is that we’re not going to be doing economic development,” Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO of the Partnership of The City of New York, said Sunday on 77 WABC’s the “Cats Roundtable.”
“We’re going to be doing economic justice – whatever that means,” said Wylde, a member of Mamdani’s transition team on economic and workforce development. “It’s a lack of understanding of how important growth, economic growth, and job creation is to our city.”
The city has to support the private sector to “constantly grow,” she added.
“Much of the language coming out of City Hall right now – particularly from the co-chair of the transition committee Lina Khan – sounds like business [and] employers are the enemy,” Wylde said.
Khan, the former Federal Trade Commission chair, has focused on alleged corporate abuses such as price gouging.
Khan is said to be eyeing laws to curb algorithmic price discrimination, surveillance pricing and junk fees that could affect affordability, Bloomberg had reported.
She’s also looking to use the city’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection to check the power of technology companies, similar to her actions atop the FTC, according to the report.
But Wylde was optimistic businesses could avoid an adversarial relationship with City Hall — if Mamdani steps up.
“I’m hoping that the mayor is going to counter that and keep faith with his commitment to build a broad coalition and to work with the business community. But so far we haven’t heard that clear message. That’s what I am waiting for,” she told host John Catsimatidis.
She praised Mamdani in other areas, applauding the new mayor’s decision to retain Jessica Tisch as police commissioner and Dr. Mitchell Katz as head of Health+Hospitals.
Wylde also applauded Mamdani’ “2-Care” or expanded child care program jointly announced last week with Gov. Kathy Hochul, as well as his housing appointments.
Mamdani’s economic development program appears to be a weak link, she said.
“The business community is prepared to step up and work with [Mamdani],” added Wydle.
Former Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop will succeed Wylde as the Partnership’s president and CEO.
A City Hall spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
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