The real affordability crisis is in the cities where Democrats rule

NY Post ^ | 2/26/26 | Douglas Murray

[Libloather]

Sometimes people just vote with their feet. And a new poll out this week suggests many New Yorkers might be willing to do just that.

The Marist poll reveals that one in three New Yorkers are planning to leave the State in the next five years.

After the week we’ve just had I suppose you might sympathize with the 7% of respondents who said they want to leave because they’re fed up with the weather.

It hasn’t been much fun trying to get around the streets as Mayor Mamdani´s paid volunteers made their unsupervised efforts to push the snow around. At the cost of $30 an hour per shoveler.

But the main reason people say they want to leave New York is that eight out of ten respondents say the city has become unaffordable. Due to daily living costs, rent, taxes and more.

Yet here is the strange thing. The Democrats keep talking about the cost-of-living crisis in New York. But they talk about it as though it has nothing to do with them.

Don’t we have a Democrat Mayor? And wasn’t the last Mayor a Democrat? And the one before him?

Governor Kathy Hochul is a Democrat. As was the Governor before her. And the Governor before him. And so on.

You get the gist.

So when the people in charge talk about New York’s cost of living crisis, why do they talk about it as though it is like a snowstorm? Some sort of natural disaster? Or even a problem that their political rivals are responsible for?

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Conspiracy; Local News; Travel
KEYWORDS: affordability; cities; crisis; democrats; economy

[Libloather]

Not as many teeth on that Madmani smile. Also happened to Jimmah Carter.

[MrRelevant]

The most unaffordable cities are also the most violent…..democrats love a good crisis.

[blackdog]

Today....

80/20 Ground Beef, $1.84 per pound.

Spaghetti, $1 per box.

Prego jar sauce, $1.12 per jar.

Kroger brand butter, $2.37 per 1 pound box of four quarter sticks.

King Arthur bread flour, six cents per ounce.

Filled up the car at Kroger gas pumps, @ $2.29 per gallon.

Now, my property and school taxes have almost doubled since 2020, taking the biggest bite out of my monthly budget.

[bantam]

Where in heck are you finding those prices??
You have a time machine?

[Brian Griffin]

We need to limit the ability of Democrats to buy votes by placing middle-class tax caps in the federal constitution.

Enter in bills for two constitutional amendments:

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Levies on any residential property of less than 2799 square feet of finished living space shall be no higher than the 2019 dollar amounts for the property, or for a newer or since resold property no higher than what it would have been levied at for 2019 if it lacked owner specific tax breaks, increased by 3% per calendar year since 2019 and by any percentage increase to its finished living space.

******

Federal taxation on personal income shall be progressively capped as follows:
below 20% of the median federal full-time civilian employee compensation amount, 10%,
below 50% of the median federal full-time civilian employee compensation amount, 22%,
below the median federal full-time civilian employee compensation amount, 30%,
below the average federal full-time civilian employee compensation of the 100,000 largest recipients, 35%,
below the average federal full-time civilian employee compensation of the 10,000 largest recipients, 40%.

*****

Fighting in Congress to send middle-class income and property taxation cap constitutional amendments to the states would make Congress turn deep red come 2027.

The high-income people have the Laffer Curve effect to protect them.

[blackdog]

The discount area of the meat case for the ground meat. The clearance aisle for the Prego Sauce. The spaghetti was it's normal price. The flour I buy in 50 pound bulk. The butter was on the coupon app.

If you shop for price and not what you are in the mood for, food is still to be found for cheap. I found 32 ounce jars of roasted red peppers for $2.12 each, next to the Prego sauce.

If it's on sale, buy it. Portion it. Freeze it. Can it. Dry it. Cure it. Make cooking and preparation a family activity. The only thing I get a chilly reception to is when I find a lot of eggs on hand and I hard boil and pickle them in jars. I love them, but not the rest of the family.

We also make Italian giardiniera, when we find cauliflower, carrots, peppers, celery, on sale or grown at home in the summer. We put it up in gallon sized jars. It keeps great for years. You always have a tasty vegetable to serve in a pinch.

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

--- "Sometimes people just vote with their feet."

We did. And in some parallel movement, our capital assets have moved "with their feet."

Coscto gas in Charleston last week -- regular was about $2.30 a gallon. In San Francisco, double.

[blackdog]

And home pickling actually improves the nutrition values of most things. Another great find is mushrooms getting a bit old. They are either $5 for an 8 ounce container, or just about free as they begin looking aged. Pickle them in garlic, cider vinegar, olive oil, hot peppers, etc....

And yes, these shopping and food preparation habits are time consuming, but convenience comes at a very heavy price.

[No name given]

Indeed.

[kaktuskid]

Most of the affordability issues are because of Democrats..and the people they support.
Dems push $20 minimum wage...fast food joints give us crappy $20 Big Mac meals, poor service, and reduced portions.
Shuttered oil refineries and high gas prices and high gas taxes?..thank a Democrat.
High medical bills and Obamacare?..thank a Democrat

[bantam]

We have a scratch and dent place where prices are available but not at any brand name store!
Good for you! It can be done with a little thought, and price hunting!

[Secret Agent Man]

Nyc, chicago, la, sanfran, atlanta, tampa, boston, dc, others...

[bantam]

Indeed. Like you I started making some of our own stuff. Amish style chow chow, and making my our sausages, blood sausage, pickles, and like you pickled eggs. With near 30 chickens we have an abundance of eggs.
Yes, some procedures are time consuming but great, if for nothing else to keep traditions alive in making certain things

[cb]

Me: Dallas Kroger, yesterday

[blackdog]

I had an uncle that came here from Estonia in the early 60's. He had a large home with a large garden in the city. He had no refrigerator or freezer. No televisions. He dug his own chisel point well. He couldn't understand paying for water. He also had his own outhouse he constructed. He grew everything in his gardens. He fished in the spring, curing and pickling the fish. Black sucker fish he would put up, like a hundred quart jars. He smoked the trout. He raised a half dozen hens for eggs. Every stick of furniture, art, and household items were trash-picked, stripped down, reassembled, reupholstered, and refinished.

He loved his vodka in moderation. I guess he bought that. I never saw a still.

I like to think I carry on a bit of his spirit and traditions.