NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled a plan on Thursday to increase funding for childcare beginning this year, to provide universal childcare throughout the state for children under the age of 5. The announcement marks the first step in delivering on his ambitious campaign pledge.
The announcement took place in Brooklyn, a week after Mamdani was sworn in.
“To those who think that the promises of a campaign cannot survive once confronted with the realities of government, today is your answer,” he said.
During an interview with All Things Considered, Mamdani explained that the state would dedicate $1.21 billion for New York City "to take the first steps towards universal childcare."
The proposed plan will start gradually, focusing on the 'high-need areas” chosen by the city first, then steadily expanding until it is available throughout the entire city. The city will allocate funds to improve services for universal care for 3-year-olds and aim to enroll about 2,000 children aged 2 this fall.
The governor confirmed, stating that she’s committed to funding the first two years of the city’s free childcare program for 2-year-olds, describing it as an extension of the city’s existing pre-K and 3-K programs.
She explained that the first set of funding would arrive via the state’s existing earnings – an alternative to increasing taxes.
Despite Hochul’s support for this aspect of the mayor’s campaign, she has yet to fully endorse the rest of his campaign. Following the event, when receiving questions from reporters about the announcement, the governor avoided a question involving Mamdani’s motion to eliminate fares for city buses, saying, “Well, we’re focused on this today.”
Regardless, Mamdani praised Hochul for her part to play and commitment to fund the plan across the next two years.
During the conference, Mamdani expressed how false promises have led New Yorkers to turn against politics, adding that "if we want people to believe in our democracy, we have to show them that our democracy can actually deliver for them."
