Hochul and Mamdani announce plan to launch free NYC child care plan

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City parents would have access to free child care for their 2-year-olds under a plan unveiled Thursday by Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the first step for the mayor in delivering on a signature campaign promise.

The two Democrats announced the proposal at a celebratory event in Brooklyn a week after Mamdani was sworn in – marking an early political victory for Mamdani, who has faced questions over whether he will have the state support needed to enact his ambitious affordability-focused agenda.

“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.

Hochul, a moderate who is up for reelection this year, has been aligned with the city’s new progressive mayor on his free child care plan, though questions remain on precisely how the program will take shape and what it might cost over the long term.

The proposed program will begin slowly, focusing first on “high-need areas” selected by the city, then expanding gradually over years until it becomes available across the city. The mayor expects it to cover around 2,000 children this fall, though he said it was not yet clear where the first seats would open up.