New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul are appearing together Thursday for the second time in three days as they build on their universal childcare agenda.
Earlier in the week, Mamdani and Hochul announced the first four communities to receive free 2-K seats this fall. There’s one in every borough except one: Staten Island. The city says this rollout is just a start; the plan is to expand the program universally within four years. Staten Islanders, still mad about the blizzard, aren’t pleased.
Hochul has committed over $1.2 billion to support early child care in the city. That two-year plan includes $73 million to fund the first set of free 2-K seats this fall. That investment will grow to $425 million next year. By the fall of 2027, the universal pre-K program is expected to cover about 12,000 kids across New York City.
Beyond those two years, funding for the program isn’t clear.
Thursday’s briefing looks to build on Tuesday’s announcement by providing hard data to support the effort. City and state leaders agree it’s an urgent one.
Hochul is expected to hold a Q&A on Thursday, whereas on Tuesday, her team said she had to leave, and the mayor took off-topic questions after she left. It’s unclear if Mamdani will take questions on Thursday as well.
He has been asked tough questions in recent days, particularly regarding his stance on Iran.