New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani got an early win on a signature policy proposal thanks to Gov. Kathy Hochul.
On Jan. 8, Hochul announced the city and state would partner on a plan to launch free universal childcare for 2-year-old children in New York City. Mamdani, a week into taking office, had centered no-cost childcare for New Yorkers in his winning campaign to address cost of living.
The two Democrats need each other — Mamdani, a democratic socialist, has to make do on sweeping proposals in the nation’s largest city, and Hochul, a moderate, needs to show receipts as she faces re-election in 2026. The childcare plan, part of Hochul’s budget proposal, would approval by the Legislature as part of the state’s budget.
“There’s one thing that every family in New York can agree on, the cost of childcare is simply too high,” Hochul said in a statement.
Zohran Mamdani sworn in as mayor of New York City
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Zohran Mamdani is sworn in as New York City’s 112th mayor by New York Attorney General Letitia James, left, alongside his wife Rama Duwaji, right, in the former City Hall subway station on Jan. 1, 2026 in New York City. Mamdani’s term as mayor begins immediately in the new year, and a public inauguration will also take place in the afternoon at City Hall.
New York City already has universal preschool for 4-year-old children, and offers 3-K, or early childhood education for 3-year-old students.
Hochul and Mamdani are set to launch the free childcare program beginning at 2 years old within New York City. Hochul’s office said she is committed to fully funding the first two years of the expansion.
“This victory represents much more than a triumph of city and state government working in partnership,” Mamdani said in a statement, “it is proof that when New Yorkers come together, we can transform the way government serves working families.”
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks during a news conference at her Manhattan office on Feb. 20, 2025.
Details of how to fund the proposal weren’t immediately available, though it’s expect to cost $6 billion annually in New York City.
Hochul’s office said the first year of the program will focus on high-need areas identified by New York City, and expand to serve all families interested in the program by year four. Meanwhile, the governor is expected to partner with the mayor to improve the city’s 3-K program to achieve universal access.
The proposal, part of Hochul’s upcoming State of the State address, will affect nearly 100,000 more children, according to the governor’s office. The state will then partner with the city to have a “2-Care” model for free childcare.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani won the 2025 election on a campaign to address cost of living for New Yorkers.
Meanwhile, the proposal aims to have all 4 year olds have pre-K access by the 2028-29 school year.
A 2025 state comptroller’s report found childcare in New York was hampered staff shortages, too few slots and the second highest cost in the nation, at around $14,621 annually. Some areas have also been affected by so-called “deserts” for childcare, with declining numbers of providers in areas.
As USA TODAY reported, New York state has already spent billions to expand childcare access, including through vouchers and reimbursements.
The Legislature would need to approve the latest childcare proposal in the state budget, which is due April 1.
Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@usatoday.com or on Signal at emcuevas.01.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NYC Mayor Mamdani helped by Gov. Hochul’s childcare budget proposal