New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has unveiled his new budget — and it’s every bit as ridiculous as BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales anticipated.“On another episode of ‘I told you so,’ it took less than two months for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to turn, I think, into a Batman villain,” Gonzales jokes.“You guys are going to be shocked to hear this. You’re going to be shocked to hear all of these promises of free everything, free child schools, free child care, free schools, free buses, all the free s**t, doesn’t have enough money to pay for all of the free,” she explains.“So he’s announced that he’s basically taking the entire city hostage, and if the state government doesn’t give into his demands and implement his billionaire tax, he’s going to make you pay,” she continues.“For those who have watched budget after budget, it is tempting to assume that we are engaging in the same dance as our predecessors. Let me assure you, nothing about this is typical. That’s why our solutions won’t be either. There are two paths to bridge this gap. The first is the most sustainable and the fairest path,” Mamdani explained at New York City Hall.“This is the path of ending the drain on our city and raising taxes on the richest New Yorkers and the most profitable corporations. The onus for resolving this crisis should not be placed on the backs of working and middle-class New Yorkers. If we do not fix this structural imbalance and do not heed the calls of New Yorkers to raise taxes on the wealthy, this crisis will not disappear,” he continued.“It will simply return year after year, forcing harder and harsher choices each time. And if we do not go down the first path, the city will be forced down a second, more harmful path. Faced with no other choice, the city would have to exercise the only revenue lever fully within our own control. We would have to raise property taxes,” he added.“Oh, wow. I for one am super shocked,” Gonzales says. “Like, who could have ever predicted that a Muslim commie would go on TV and lay out a list of terroristic demands?”“Where’s the money going to come from?” she asks, before answering herself, “I know. We’re just going to tax hardworking Americans more.”Want more from Sara Gonzales?To enjoy more of Sara's no-holds-barred takes on news and culture, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

From render farm to red carpet?No sooner had the lights come up on Utah’s final year hosting the Sundance Film Festival than state officials announced a very different cinematic bet: artificial intelligence.'Nuovo has presented a forward-thinking approach.'According to Variety, Utah has approved a $2 million grant for a new initiative called the Nuovo Film Festival, described by the state as a “film ecosystem” built around AI-driven production. Plans reportedly include a filmmaking lab, an AI-powered soundstage, and expanded incentive programs aimed at attracting filmmakers to the state.Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, Sundance grew into one of the premier cultural and commercial forces in American film, launching independent directors, shaping awards seasons, and helping define modern indie cinema. As its contract expired and Boulder offered both financial incentives and a cultural climate seen as more aligned with the festival’s direction, Sundance chose to leave Utah after more than four decades.Nuovo organizers outlined five “pillars” in presentation materials cited by Variety.The first proposes a lab to “teach new filmmakers how to tell their story using technology and AI.” The second centers on incentive programs. The third focuses on constructing an AI soundstage — one that may require its own dedicated power source.RELATED: 'Shut the f**k up!' Actor Jamie Kennedy slams Hollywood's hypocrisy over ICE Your browser does not support the video tag. Footage by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images The cost-saving claims are ambitious. Organizers suggested a $200 million film that traditionally takes three years to complete could be produced in nine months for roughly $10 million using AI-assisted workflows. Those figures remain projections, not proven results.The fourth pillar involves collaboration with Harbor Fund, a Utah-based nonprofit. Founded in 2018, Harbor Fund describes its mission as pairing filmmakers with philanthropic capital to support "films that matter." It's website prominently features a quote from movie critic Roger Ebert: “The movies are like a machine that generates empathy."In effect, Utah’s proposed AI film hub would not only streamline production but also align itself with what organizers describe as “impact-driven filmmaking.”The fifth pillar calls for certificate programs at high schools and colleges to train students in makeup, set design, sound, staging, and editing — building a workforce tailored to AI-enabled production.“Utah would have the dedicated and trained workforce to allow filmmakers to come here and use the local workforce instead of bringing them here,” the presentation reportedly stated.RELATED: 'They can't take us all down': Actor Giancarlo Esposito declares it's 'time for a revolution' in unhinged rant Photo by: Visions of America/Joe Sohm/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Lance Soffe, director of targeted industries for the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development, framed the move as forward-looking.“Traditional festivals are not generating the same impact they once did,” Soffe said. “Instead of trying to recreate an aging model, Nuovo has presented a forward-thinking approach that builds on Utah’s legacy while embracing where the industry is going.”The new Utah festival will be led by a board comprised of former MGM Television chief Mark Burnett, advertising moguls, and venture capitalists.The announcement comes as the broader film industry remains unsettled over AI.On the same day the Utah investment drew attention, AMC Theatres faced backlash over reports it would screen an AI-generated short film before previews. The short “Thanksgiving Day” won the Frame Forward AI Film Festival and was reportedly slated for wide theatrical exposure. After criticism mounted, AMC said its locations would not participate.While policymakers and investors see efficiency and reduced costs, audiences appear less certain about replacing human-driven filmmaking with algorithmic production.

A trio of 14-year-old car thieves slammed a stolen vehicle into a Baltimore police officer who opened fire as he was hit — and while the teens managed to get away from the scene, police said they arrested them days later.Officer William Cole responded around 12:05 a.m. Sunday to an attempted break-in call, WBAL-TV reported.'I need a medic!'Police released Cole's body-worn camera video, which showed the officer arriving at the location on West Lombard Street; he soon encountered multiple people in a Kia sedan that backed up and struck a parked vehicle, the station said.When Cole ordered the driver to stop, the driver backed up again and struck the officer, WBAL said, citing the video.Police said Cole fired his gun once at the car as he fell, the station said, adding that the driver fled the scene and hit another vehicle as well as the officer's patrol car in the process.Video then shows an injured man approaching the officer from across the street and collapsing.The officer is heard saying on the bodycam video, "I need a medic! You good, bro? I got you. What's wrong, bro, you OK?" RELATED: 3 males — ages 8, 11, 12 — steal car, crash into house; driver, 11, says he learned how to steal cars from YouTube: Cops Police said the officer rendered aid to the 21-year-old injured man who was assaulted by multiple people before the officer's arrival at the scene, WBAL reported; the victim wasn't taken to a hospital.However, the officer at the scene injured his ankle and was treated and released from a hospital, the station said.Police told WBAL that officers found the Kia in question abandoned on South Arlington Avenue and that the vehicle was reported stolen Saturday from East Chase Street.More from WBAL:Police said detectives were able to identify two of the Kia's occupants as two 14-year-old boys who have prior charges of robbery and auto theft and were on electronic monitoring as a result. Detectives arrested the boys Monday on aggravated assault and auto theft charges. They remain detained at Juvenile Booking.Police said detectives later identified the driver of the Kia as a 14-year-old girl. During her arrest on Tuesday, police said officers learned the girl had been treated at a hospital on Sunday for a wound to her right wrist. The girl's mother told detectives that the injury may be a gunshot graze wound; police said further investigation is needed to determine the cause of the injury. The girl was taken to Juvenile Booking, where she was charged with aggravated assault and stolen auto. She was later released on electronic monitoring.Teen crime in Baltimore despite electronic monitoring is not a new phenomenon. Last summer, a 13-year-old with a GPS ankle monitor who had been arrested 18 times for felonies was charged in connection with a violent city crime spree.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

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