Opinion: Building a Fiscal Fortress Against Trump

“We must use every dollar of our $113 billion New York City budget as a brick in the wall against whatever fresh hell Trump tries to cook up next year.”

Last week, voters overwhelmingly chose to send Donald Trump back to the White House, in an election that was largely dominated by how voters felt about the price of groceries, gas, housing—and who to blame for it.

The fact is that Trump’s policies will actually make life even more expensive for the average American. But in the absence of a clear message and transformative economic measures from Democrats—despite low unemployment, a surging stock market, and robust fiscal growth—Trump was able to sell voters on the insidious lie that migrants were the cause of America’s perceived woes. Indeed, when things are complicated and hard to explain, people often look for others to blame. And so, voters still reeling from the highest inflation in over 40 years took it out on the party currently holding the ball.

Even here in New York City, Vice President Kamala Harris vastly under-performed compared to past Democratic presidential nominees. I can’t help but wonder if we would have fared better here had some of my fellow Democrats stopped pushing this Trump lie that migrants would bankrupt New York City long after everyone knew it simply wasn’t true.

Trump’s vile and xenophobic suggestion that mass deportations and tariffs will magically make life affordable again is completely wrong factually, morally, and in economic theory. Still, some 51 percent of voters looked at the Democrats’ message, saw little more than “Trump bad” and rewarded Republicans for a clear, concise and compelling falsehood.

Yes, our country’s immigration system is badly broken but it’s not why we’re paying more for milk and eggs at ShopRite. Income inequality creates the big picture paradox of a thriving economy while many families are still hurting. Biden/Harris will go down as the most pro-labor administration since FDR, but sucked when it came to talking about the daily economic struggles of average Americans. Life is expensive and, data be damned, it feels like it’s getting harder, not easier. As my hero D. Boon once said, “I’ll put it in simple words: working people are pissed.”

As the City Council’s Finance Chair, my work in overseeing and negotiating the annual budget is always about fighting to make sure our government does right by New Yorkers. The budget is our definitive values document. It details what your elected officials care about enough to really fight for. In 2025, we will now have to contend with a unified Republican government in the White House, Senate and the U.S. House. That means we must use every dollar of our $113 billion New York City budget as a brick in the wall against whatever fresh hell Trump tries to cook up next year.

Once again, big, bold municipal governments will be on the front lines. We must lead where the federal government fails. We need to promote affordability by building more housing for all income levels while strengthening rent regulation. We need to expand subsidized child care programs that working families can actually afford. We need to ensure our public schools can continue to provide a robust learning environment for all students, even as Trump moves to abolish the federal Department of Education.

We must double down on our social safety net with unwavering support for public housing, hospitals and health initiatives. And we must shield New Yorkers from the worst of Republicans’ assault on our fundamental rights and freedoms: reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights, protections for immigrants, climate crisis mitigations and resiliency measures, and simple human decency.

The mayor has vowed to fight for our city’s values amid Trump’s decisive victory. Soon he will have the chance to prove it. New York City’s economy is undeniably strong. It’s time to end the doom-and-gloom approach to revenue projections. With Trump back in the White House, New Yorkers will be up against plenty. Our communities can’t afford another extended game of chicken where funding for our schools, daycares, libraries, nonprofits, housing vouchers, homeless services, and other desperately needed supportive programs for low-income and working class New Yorkers hangs in the balance.

These are uncertain times but I can promise you this: your City Council, under the leadership of our Speaker Adrienne Adams, will continue to stand up for you and your family. We will fight like hell for a city budget that funds our public education system and our parks, provides food for the hungry, builds affordable housing, and keeps our neighborhoods safe and clean.

A budget that funds—and pays on time—nonprofits keeping our communities safe and secure, keeps the doors to our libraries and cultural institutions open to all, and creates an environment where New Yorkers of all backgrounds can thrive without fear no matter who is in the White House.

Justin Brannan represents southwest Brooklyn in the New York City Council. He is exploring a run for NYC Comptroller.