Governor Kathy Hochul, along with other centrist Democrats, is contemplating tax increases to align with NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and his progressive allies, a move former Governor George Pataki warns could drive many New Yorkers to leave the state.

“The current situation is already challenging. If Hochul proceeds with another tax hike, it could be the tipping point,” Pataki explained during a conversation with billionaire and WABC-AM radio owner John Catsimatidis on the “Cats Roundtable,” scheduled to air Sunday.

Pataki continued, emphasizing, “New York simply can’t sustain this. Our taxes are excessively high, and the regulations are overly burdensome. Many New Yorkers are relocating to states like Florida and Texas.”

Although Hochul previously opposed increasing corporate tax rates, she is reconsidering this stance to address budgetary concerns in the wake of the recent mayoral election victory by Mamdani, known for his socialist ideologies.

Hochul, once a staunch opponent of raising corporate tax rates, is no longer ruling the idea out to help balance the state’s budget following the silver-spoon socialist’s win in last month’s mayoral election.

The potential flip-flop for a governor with a history of them comes as she continues to be taunted in public with chants to “tax the rich” from liberals looking to push her in line with Mamdani, who wants at least $9 billion in extra dough to fund pie-in-the-sky initiatives like free buses.

Pataki blamed Hochul and other moderate Democrats’ change on the heart regarding tax hikes on the threat of the far-left coming for their jobs.

“I think they’re looking at Mamdani’s victory and thinking, ‘Oh my God! I could have a primary. So we’d better raise taxes,’” he said.

“Mamdani wants to raise taxes, and I’m afraid that Hochul and the Legislature are going to go along with him.”

Hochul spokesperson Kara Cumoletti said Hochul “has been clear that she hopes to avoid raising any taxes,” adding Pataki “should know better than most that you can’t plan a state budget without knowing what cuts to Medicaid … and other programs will come from Washington.”

“If Governor Pataki wants to help prevent tax increases, he should urge Washington Republicans to stop targeting New York with devastating cuts,” said Cumoletti.