The freewheeling New York City mayor’s race has focused on a few key issues: making the city more affordable, improving public safety, navigating President Trump’s second term and the war in Gaza.
Zohran Mamdani, 33, the Democratic nominee, is running on a populist agenda and has a strong lead in the polls. Mr. Mamdani, a state assemblyman and democratic socialist, wants to make city buses free and enact universal child care, but has limited experience in government.
Former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, 67, who is running as an independent after losing to Mr. Mamdani in the primary, has sought to unite the city’s anti-Mamdani factions, including business leaders and moderate voters. Mr. Cuomo resigned as governor in 2021 following a series of sexual harassment allegations that he denies.
Curtis Sliwa, 71, the Republican nominee, has been hammering the issue of addressing violent crime. He is the founder of the Guardian Angels, a subway patrol group, and lost the 2021 mayor’s race to Mayor Eric Adams.
Ahead of the Nov. 4 election, we asked Mr. Mamdani, Mr. Cuomo and Mr. Sliwa to answer a list of questions on some of the biggest issues facing New York. Their answers are below, and were edited for length and clarity.
Affordability
What are two specific policies you would enact in your first year to address the city’s affordability crisis?
Zohran Mamdani
Democratic nominee and state assemblyman
New Yorkers deserve a city we can afford. I’d freeze rents for the more than 2 million tenants in rent-stabilized units, bringing an end to Mayor Eric Adams’s rent hikes. At the same time, I’d launch construction on 200,000 union-built, 100 percent affordable homes — fast-tracking public-sector-led developments over the next decade amid zoning and procedural reform to trigger a significant increase in housing supply across the board.
Andrew Cuomo
Independent candidate and former governor
First, build. With a 1 percent vacancy rate, demand is driving up costs, so the only answer is to increase supply. In my first year, I’ll add 50,000 affordable homes by cutting red tape, rezoning land and bringing 25,000 rent-stabilized apartments back online. Second, tax reform. Cap property taxes at 2 percent for struggling homeowners, eliminate income taxes for residents earning up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level, end taxes on tips and raise the real estate transfer tax threshold to $2.5 million to make it easier to purchase a home.
Curtis
Sliwa
Republican nominee and Guardian Angels founder
First, I will push to cap annual property tax increases at 2 percent so that homeowners and small landlords are not forced out of their homes, and tenants can see some stability in rents. Second, I will work with small property owners to figure out what is preventing them from putting vacant rent-stabilized units back on the market. Getting those apartments occupied is one of the fastest ways to expand housing supply and give people affordable options.
Public Safety
How would you improve public safety? Name two specific policies.
Zohran Mamdani
Democratic nominee and state assemblyman
Our Department of Community Safety will address gaps in the social safety net, allowing police officers to focus on violent crimes. We will establish Community Mental Health Navigators to pre-emptively tackle mental health issues through screenings and education, and expand peer clubhouses for those with serious mental illnesses. The clubhouse approach costs $4,000 per member annually, in stark contrast to the annual cost of $500,000 for incarcerating someone at Rikers Island, the city’s largest mental health facility.
Andrew Cuomo
Independent candidate and former governor
Public safety is Job 1. I’ll rebuild the N.Y.P.D. ranks with 5,000 new officers, including 1,500 for subways, using precision policing to target the specific people and places driving most crime. I’ll also invest $100 million in youth jobs and work force programs so young people have real alternatives to gangs and guns. Enforcement plus opportunity is how we make neighborhoods safe again.
Curtis
Sliwa
Republican nominee and Guardian Angels founder
Hiring 7,000 more police officers is important, but it is not just about numbers. We need to use technology and the expertise of cops on the ground to deploy officers where they are needed most and shift resources quickly based on pressing matters. Just as important, we need to untie their hands. Qualified immunity being stripped away, a militant Civilian Complaint Review Board and laws like the diaphragm bill discourage proactive policing and delay response. We need to fix those issues and let the N.Y.P.D. do the job they know how to do.
Immigration
New York City has rules known as sanctuary laws to help protect undocumented immigrants. The laws were expanded under former Mayor Bill de Blasio and all but prohibit the police and corrections officers from working with ICE to apprehend people for entering the country illegally, which is considered a civil offense. But the law does not prevent the police from working with federal officials to investigate non-citizens who have broken the law.
Should New York City keep its current sanctuary laws or would you make changes to them?
Zohran Mamdani
Democratic nominee and state assemblyman
Protecting immigrant New Yorkers keeps every one of us safe. I’d not only keep our sanctuary city laws, but strengthen them. We must send a clear, unflinching message to Donald Trump: His efforts to terrorize immigrants have no place in this city.
Andrew Cuomo
Independent candidate and former governor
New York will always be a city of immigrants, that’s our strength and our legacy. I support sanctuary protections because due process is paramount and no one should fear calling the police or seeking medical help. But safety is paramount, and we don’t harbor criminals. If someone is here illegally and convicted of a crime, we would work with the federal authorities. We can, and we must, achieve being both welcoming and safe.
Curtis
Sliwa
Republican nominee and Guardian Angels founder
We need to change them. I will make sure New York remains a city of compassion, but also one where violent offenders are not shielded from deportation at the expense of our residents’ safety.
Congestion Pricing
Should congestion pricing remain in place? Are there any changes you would make?
Zohran Mamdani
Democratic nominee and state assemblyman
Yes, New York City should keep congestion pricing. New Yorkers deserve safe, fast and reliable transit. Since congestion pricing was enacted, there are 2.7 million fewer cars on the road, crashes are down, buses are faster, ridership is up and even honking has dropped. I’d build on this by further pedestrianizing much of the congestion zone, making it easier and safer to bike around New York City, and ensuring that outdoor dining continues year-round and is approved through a process that is actually navigable for small businesses.
Andrew Cuomo
Independent candidate and former governor
I fought for and passed congestion pricing after decades of failed attempts because our streets were clogged, our air polluted, and the M.T.A. broke. The principle is sound: fewer cars, cleaner air, better transit. But implementation must be fair and not a hindrance to the city’s economic comeback. I’d keep congestion pricing but require ongoing reviews to ensure it achieves its purpose. Smart execution, not ideology. (Mr. Cuomo approved congestion pricing as governor in 2019, then opposed it last year and now says he supports it again.)
Curtis
Sliwa
Republican nominee and Guardian Angels founder
I have always opposed the congestion tax. It is not a solution; it is just another tax that drives people and businesses away. We already have empty storefronts across the city. This plan punishes outer-borough commuters and small businesses at a time when we need to be making it easier, not harder, to live and work in New York.
Trump
How would you view your relationship with President Trump as mayor? What is one concern you have about his agenda and one issue you agree with him on?
Zohran Mamdani
Democratic nominee and state assemblyman
If Trump becomes willing to deliver on his campaign message of cheaper groceries, I’d be happy to work with him on that issue. We both agree that New Yorkers’ lives are more expensive than they were four years ago. The difference is that I will actually deliver affordability, while he exploits the cost-of-living crisis for political gain. It’s hard to name just one concern when the current administration is stealing New Yorkers off the street, cutting food stamp benefits and gutting Medicaid. My main concern is how his agenda is driving New Yorkers out of the city they call home.
Andrew Cuomo
Independent candidate and former governor
I’ve known President Trump for decades and fought him many times — as governor during Covid, when he targeted immigrants and when he threatened to send troops into New York City. Each time, I pushed back and won. As mayor, I’ll defend New York from federal overreach and protect our values, while working across the aisle when it benefits New Yorkers. When he’s wrong, I’ll fight; when it helps New Yorkers, I’ll partner. New Yorkers always come first.
Curtis
Sliwa
Republican nominee and Guardian Angels founder
My job is to fight for New Yorkers, and that means working with any president, Republican or Democrat, to get results for this city. If a president advanced a policy that hurt New Yorkers, I would oppose it loudly. Where I agree is on securing more federal support for public safety and infrastructure, and I would press any administration to deliver that.
School Admissions
The city’s eight specialized public high schools use an exam to determine admission, and the process has come under fire from critics who note that the schools are not diverse. Black students received 3 percent of acceptance letters this year and Latino students receive less than 7 percent of spots.
Would you keep the Specialized High School Admissions Test, or SHSAT, as the sole criteria for admission to the city’s eight specialized high schools?
Zohran Mamdani
Democratic nominee and state assemblyman
Yes. As a Bronx Science alum, I’ve seen both the promise and problems of specialized high schools’ students. These are struggles indicative of the larger fact that our school system is the most segregated in the country. The School Diversity Advisory Group’s recommendations for elementary and middle schools are a clear road map for how our city should tackle that. (The panel recommended ending most selective programs; Mr. Mamdani has in the past expressed concerns about the test.)
Andrew Cuomo
Independent candidate and former governor
Specialized high schools are jewels of our system, with four times more applicants than seats. My plan doubles their number from nine to 18 schools, while keeping admissions rigorous, objective and merit-based. I’ll keep the SHSAT and expand prep programs in underserved neighborhoods so all students have a fair shot.
Curtis
Sliwa
Republican nominee and Guardian Angels founder
Yes, I would keep the SHSAT. These schools are among the best in the country, and their standards should not be watered down. We need more specialized high schools, and frankly we need vocational and trade high schools as well. Not every child will go to college, but every child deserves a path to success.
Gifted Programs
New York is unusual among large U.S. school districts in enrolling kindergartners in a separate gifted and talented program. It offers spots to fewer than 5 percent of children, and has been criticized for admitting low numbers of Black and Latino students.
Would you expand or eliminate the gifted and talented program? How should New York identify gifted children?
Zohran Mamdani
Democratic nominee and state assemblyman
The previous administration ended the practice of testing kindergarteners for gifted and talented programming, which has been replaced by a new rubric and teacher nomination system under Eric Adams. I will return to the previous policy. Ultimately, my administration would aim to make sure that every child receives a high-quality early education that nurtures their curiosity and learning. (Mamdani’s campaign later confirmed that he would end the gifted program for incoming kindergarteners next fall.)
Andrew Cuomo
Independent candidate and former governor
I would expand gifted and talented programs, not eliminate them. Limiting opportunity to less than 5 percent of students is unfair. The real inequity is access — too many Black and Latino students aren’t identified or supported early enough. My plan invests in universal 3-K, stronger early screening, and more G&T seats across every borough, so talent is nurtured wherever it’s found. Gifted programs should reflect the diversity of our city, and they can, if we give all children the tools to succeed.
Curtis
Sliwa
Republican nominee and Guardian Angels founder
I would expand it. Our goal should be that all children are ready and able to participate in gifted and talented programs, and that means ensuring they get the education they deserve from Day 1. The focus should be on raising standards for everyone so more kids can qualify, not eliminating opportunities for the few who do.
Transportation
What is one new policy you would pursue to improve transportation in the city?
Zohran Mamdani
Democratic nominee and state assemblyman
Too many New Yorkers can’t afford the rising cost of public transit, and our buses are the slowest in the country. I’d make buses free and fast — transforming a form of public transit that is currently both too expensive and traveling at a speed of eight miles an hour on average. The free bus pilot I passed in Albany has already shown that ridership increases and safety improves when the bus is free. We can scale that up across our city while building the busways and bus lanes that New Yorkers have long been denied.
Andrew Cuomo
Independent candidate and former governor
Mass transit is the lifeblood of the city, and New Yorkers deserve a system that is clean, safe and reliable. To deliver on that fundamental promise, I’ll add 1,500 N.Y.P.D. officers dedicated to the subway, direct resources to ensure cleanliness and expedite long overdue capital construction projects to improve reliability. And I’ll make transit more affordable by expanding Fair Fares to cover the full cost of subways and buses for New Yorkers earning up to 150 percent of the federal poverty line. My plan won’t subsidize the wealthy but will save working families hundreds of dollars each year.
Curtis
Sliwa
Republican nominee and Guardian Angels founder
I would expand express bus service with longer hours of operation, especially in Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx. Not everyone lives near a subway line, and we need reliable alternatives for those communities. Transportation should not depend on your zip code.
Rats and Trash
Voters often complain that the city is too filthy, and rat sightings are frequent. Mayor Eric Adams has started requiring trash to be moved from bags on the curb into sealed containers. Larger residential buildings are required to have European-style streetside covered bins.
How would you combat the city’s scourge of rats and address complaints about street cleanliness?
Zohran Mamdani
Democratic nominee and state assemblyman
We need to get trash off the sidewalks. Shared on-street containers for recycling and garbage would mean fewer rats, less smells and cleaner blocks. I’d also fix 311 so complaints aren’t being ignored and New Yorkers can actually track their service requests.
Andrew Cuomo
Independent candidate and former governor
New Yorkers deserve clean, safe streets, and right now, we don’t have either. The rat problem is a symptom of incompetence. I’ll launch a real sanitation strategy: more frequent pickups, sealed containers instead of bags on sidewalks and stronger enforcement against illegal dumping. Denial is not a life strategy; clean streets are public health, quality of life and basic respect for New Yorkers.
Curtis
Sliwa
Republican nominee and Guardian Angels founder
We need to get back to basics. I would increase the number of sanitation workers and restore the service that has been cut. We also need to address the upkeep of outdoor dining structures and the disposal of garbage on the streets. Clean streets are one of the basic responsibilities of city government, and right now, it is failing.
One Big Idea
What’s your one big idea — your most important policy proposal that you would prioritize if you could only achieve one campaign promise?
Zohran Mamdani
Democratic nominee and state assemblyman
Child care in New York costs families more than $20,000 a year – that’s pushing parents out of the city and out of the work force, costing us billions. My administration will deliver universal child care for every child from 6 weeks to 5 years old. That means raising wages for child care workers and making it simple for families to find providers close to home. Child care should be what makes it possible to raise a family here, not what makes it impossible.
Andrew Cuomo
Independent candidate and former governor
The “big idea” is what has been missing from City Hall for over a decade: competent, effective government that delivers for the people it serves. Real change comes from day-in, day-out execution: experienced leadership that can deliver change, managerial skill and knowledge that gets results. My priorities are clear: public safety, affordability and opportunity.
Curtis
Sliwa
Republican nominee and Guardian Angels founder
If I could only do one thing, it would be to restore public safety. Without safe streets, everything else falls apart. I will hire subject matter experts and professionals with integrity to run city agencies, people who are independent and willing to push back against me, with the best interests of New Yorkers and their work force in mind.