Paraprofessional $10K Bonus Lawsuit — Mamdani Sues Council to Block RESPECT Check Act

On Aug 19, Mamdani's law department filed suit against the NYC Council seeking to void the RESPECT Check Act, which would deliver one-time $10,000 bonuses to public-school paraprofessionals (starting salary ~$32K). Administration argues the payments violate the Taylor Law by bypassing collective bargaining with UFT. Bill passed the Council unanimously across ideological lines; Speaker Julie Menin vowed to "vigorously defend" it. Mamdani publicly supported an earlier recurring-bonus version in 2025 on the campaign trail — supplying opponents (Council, UFT, NY Sun) with a "reversal" narrative and an "all-out war" framing. Sits alongside the pied-à-terre litigation and the Aug 12 FCB gap warning as the third open front challenging Mamdani's legal/fiscal posture.