Stephen A. Questions Mamdani’s Budget-Busting Promises [WATCH]

Stephen A. Smith isn’t buying the math behind New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s big socialist promises — and he’s not staying quiet about it.

On his Straight Shooter podcast Wednesday, the ESPN star took aim at Mamdani’s sweeping “tax-the-rich” agenda, warning that the plan may work on paper but doesn’t add up in the real world.

“I just want to know where the money is coming from,” Smith said. “See, I count. OK, I count. And the people who love Mamdani the most are not people who pay bills every day.”

Smith, who said he personally likes the 34-year-old Democratic socialist, made clear he’s “not happy” about the election results — and “very, very concerned” about what’s coming next.

He blasted Mamdani’s proposals — from a 2% tax on the rich and an 11.5% capital gains tax to free buses and grocery stores — as detached from financial reality.

“Free buses, free grocery stores in each borough. Really think that’s going to work?” he asked.

Smith warned that the policy wish list could backfire, driving out the very taxpayers New York depends on.

“You start making the city unattractive to companies and residents,” he said. “Businesses follow. Then the tax burden falls on the New Yorkers left behind.”

And as for Mamdani’s push to freeze rent? Smith says it’s a fantasy.

“Is that really going to be plausible? Or are you going to end up hiking it because you don’t have enough people here to pay it?”

Smith wrapped his takedown with a reality check worthy of his signature style:

“These are all the things we have to connect the dots on. One plus one — does it equal two?”

When it comes to Mamdani’s socialist wish list, Stephen A. made it clear: the math ain’t mathin’.

Watch the clip above.