Your tax refund is bigger. What about New Yorkers?

So look, everyone’s talking about how your tax refund might be bigger this year, right? And yeah, that’s great for folks who can use a little extra cash. But here in New York City? Deadass, a slightly bigger tax refund ain't gonna magically solve the rent crisis or make the L train run on time. We're out here paying top dollar for everything from a bodega chopped cheese to a tiny apartment in Astoria. That extra dough? It's gone before you can even think about hitting up Di Fara for a slice. Nah, it's not a windfall for us. It's more like a drop in the bucket for people just trying to keep their head above water, especially with prices for a decent cawfee just going up and up.

Here’s the thing, for a lot of New Yorkers, that tax refund is already earmarked for the back rent, or maybe for fixing up something in the apartment because the landlord's dragging their feet. Or, if you're lucky, maybe it’s a tiny bit of breathing room to splurge on some good Chinese food in Flushing, which, by the way, is way better than anything you'll find in Manhattan Chinatown, I don't care what anyone says. We're talking about a city where a small studio costs more than a house in some other states. A slightly bigger tax refund is appreciated, sure, but it's not a game-changer. It just helps us keep playing the game. That's New York — if you can't keep up, take the bus.

Rachel Kwon-Gutierrez, MiTL Sports Desk, New York City.

Yo, the crew on the morning show, they're always talkin' about this kinda stuff – catch 'em live at mornings.live.