Mayor Mamdani dismisses entire advisory board of city philanthropy fund
Mayor Zohran Mamdani removed all members of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City’s advisory board, ending a long-standing business partnership.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani wrote to the advisory board of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, expressing gratitude before terminating their service, and the fund confirmed that the entire board would be disbanded - a first in at least three administrations. Among those removed were Richard Born of BD Hotels, Jeffrey Gural of GFP Real Estate, Alex Katz of Blackstone, Edward Skyler of Citigroup, and James Whelan of the Real Estate Board of New York.
The mayor’s senior advisor, Dora Pekec, indicated that a new advisory group will be appointed later in the year to rethink how private philanthropy supports public programs. The fund, which reported $16.4 million in cash on its 2025 tax filing, has historically raised hundreds of millions since its 1995 launch, including significant sums for 9/11 rescue-worker families and COVID-19 relief. Since taking office in April, Mamdani has begun reshaping the fund’s governance, appointing a former dockworker and a high-school teacher to its board of directors. The changes reflect the administration’s broader effort to align city decision-making with community voices.
Why it matters
The overhaul could shift how private donations influence New York City services and affect relationships with major local businesses.
How the sides frame it
LOW AGREEMENTLeft-leaning coverage highlights Mayor Mamdani’s progressive agenda and alliances, while right-leaning coverage portrays his dismissal of the philanthropy fund’s advisory board as a hostile attack on business leaders.
LEFT
Frames Mamdani as a progressive reformer pushing socialist-leaning policies such as a citywide rent freeze and publicly owned supermarkets, emphasizing his partnership with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
RIGHT
Frames Mamdani’s removal of the entire advisory board as a hostile, anti-business move, using language like “axed” and “war on New York business,” and includes a defense that his actions reflect Christian values.
The left emphasises
- progressive wins including a citywide rent freeze covering one million units
- proposal of publicly owned supermarkets that could cut prices by up to 30%
- partnership and inspiration from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
The right emphasises
- Mayor’s dismissal of the entire advisory board of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City
- characterizing the move as a “hostile act” or “war on New York business”
- defense that the mayor’s actions align with Christian values
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