ALBANY, N.Y. (WRGB) — Parents from around New York rallied in Albany Wednesday, turning the War Room in the state Capitol into a full-fledged playroom. The rally was organized by New Yorkers United for Child Care.
The parents say it’s all about making sure New York State can pay for the universal childcare program proposed by Governor Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
The program was included in Governor Hochul’s state budget proposal. Hochul says the state will not have to raise taxes to pay for it, but advocates say that’s unsustainable — and that taxes will have to be raised on the state’s wealthiest residents to ensure long term financial success.
“So we are serious, we want our legislators to take it seriously. We want the governor to take it seriously. We want permanent funding invested statewide into child care, and we want to get to that goal of universal childcare,” said Chantal Hinds, a universal childcare advocate. “Why shouldn’t New York be the most welcoming state in the country?”
Mayor Zohran Mamdani made universal childcare a chief talking point of his campaign last year.
The Democratic Socialist says taxes must be raised on the wealthy to pay for it — and if that doesn’t happen, he’ll have to raise property taxes on all New Yorkers.
This is where the governor and mayor differ.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: A previous version of this story incorrectly listed this event as happening at the War Room Tavern.