Editor:

Our Instagram Mayor needs to offer a sincere apology to the vigilant citizens protesting his tax giveaway to corporate real estate. In this case, “YIMBY” (read “Big Real Estate shill”) Mahmood, together with Lurie, is sponsoring the BUILD Act, which will substantially cut transfer tax revenues in a time of record deficits, with more on the way. Not a single unit of  truly affordable housing will be built as a result. Instead, the proposal may incentivize demolition of existing units, some of them rent controlled units. 

Had the press conference not been held behind closed dates, Lurie would have realized that it was a single passerby shouting. There was no “chanting” of “Tax the Jews,” as Lurie falsely and unethically maintains.

Unfortunately, while reporting a blatant lie, the media failed to document the reason for the protest: This is yet another sellout by our Levi Strauss sweatshop-funded mayor to his billionaire class.

Lurie’s father may be a rabbi, but his values do not reflect those of the Ashkenazic American Judaism with which so many of us were raised. A sincere apology is required.

Finally, we don’t need tax cuts. We need more prudent use of taxes collected, including zero tolerance for corruption and misappropriation of resources. We’ve seen this surface time and time again. Yet our mayor has done nothing about this problem which, unlike the transfer tax, is an actual (and quite substantial) impediment to a successful “world class” and “activated” city. 

Harry S. Pariser