Exclusive | NYC mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa promises $500 rebates on congestion tolls if elected

Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa is proposing to reimburse New Yorkers up to $500 annually on tolls incurred while driving into Manhattan’s congestion zone, should he become the next mayor of NYC.

This plan, which he refers to as the “Money In Your Pocket” initiative, will be unveiled on Monday. It also aims to eliminate city taxes on tips and provide property tax rebates for primary residences, co-ops, and condos, reaching up to $500.

Sliwa expressed to The Post his intention to cut $8 billion to $10 billion from the city budget, particularly targeting “bureaucratic waste” within the Department of Education, reallocating these funds to enhance affordability in New York City.

“This initiative aims to return money to the citizens, granting them more disposable income, thereby reducing the pressure to relocate,” he stated.

Sliwa noted that his proposal directly contrasts with the platform of socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani, a leading contender in the mayoral race.

“Mamdani’s approach is centered on relentless taxation, which we know will drive residents away,” Sliwa remarked.

Sliwa’s “city mobility rebate” program would offer one individual per household a 10% reimbursement on yearly congestion tolls for entering below 60th Street in Manhattan, with a cap at $500.

The much-disliked $9 congestion pricing toll was introduced in April and has been particularly burdensome for those commuting by car.

Sliwa indicated that he would potentially limit this rebate to individuals earning $150,000 or less annually.

“My focus isn’t on millionaires or billionaires, but rather on the everyday working-class citizens,” said the founder of the Guardian Angels and radio host.

His “No City Tax on Tips” proposal mirrors a provision from President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” signed into law in July, which exempts many professions from federal income tax on tips.

Sliwa’s plan to offer $500 rebates to qualifying homeowners in New York City as their primary residence would be financed through the city budget. Just like the “No City Tax on Tips” initiative, this proposal would also require approval from the state.

The rebates would be similar to the state’s School Tax Relief (STAR) program, which provides tax relief to seniors on fixed incomes.

Sliwa aims to fund this “Money In Your Pocket” initiative within his first year as mayor by thoroughly auditing each city agency and eliminating wasteful spending. He would then seek assistance from state legislators to underwrite its future budgets.

He believes the Department of Education, with its $41 billion budget and per-pupil spending approaching $42,000 this year, is ripe for cuts, particularly regarding “high-salaried deputy chancellors and other executives” engaged in redundant tasks.

Despite currently polling in a distant third place in the mayoral race behind Mamdani and former Governor Andrew Cuomo, Sliwa ranks slightly ahead of incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, who, like Cuomo, is a Democrat running as an independent.