GOODER AND HARDER, NYC: Hochul just confessed: She’ll give Mamdani his tax hikes next year.

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s artful dodge on the issue tells you all you need to know: She’s going to give Mayor Zohran Mamdani at least some of his tax hikes — next year, once she’s safely re-elected.

This year, she sent him some state money and OK’d some dodgy new borrowing, then pushed through his pied-à-terre tax; asked outright this week if she’ll give him more next year as a reward for his support now, she offered only a coy “There are no quid pro quos,” conspicuously saying nothing about taxes but pointedly saying she looks forward “to continue working in partnership” with the mayor on matters of mutual interest.

Until now, the gov has sworn up, down and backward to oppose increasing taxes on the rich.

Yeah, well — she lied.