{"id":212426,"date":"2026-04-28T10:21:42","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T10:21:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/212426\/"},"modified":"2026-04-28T10:21:42","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T10:21:42","slug":"mamdani-visits-bronx-childrens-museum-for-national-town-hall-on-his-100-days-in-office-bronx-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/212426\/","title":{"rendered":"Mamdani visits Bronx Children\u2019s Museum for national town hall on his 100 days in office \u2013 Bronx Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fresh off his appearance<\/a> at a South Bronx childcare center with former President Barack Obama, Mayor Zohran Mamdani made another high-profile appearance in the borough, this time at the Bronx Children\u2019s Museum<\/a> for an April 24 MS NOW town hall about his 100 days in office.<\/p>\n

For \u201cAll In America: Mayor Mamdani,\u201d hosted by Bronx native MS NOW commentator Chris Hayes, Mamdani took questions from supporters, skeptics and those who consider themselves Trump supporters and\/or Republicans.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were so honored to welcome Mayor Mamdani to the Museum for the first time as part of the recording \u2014 an exciting moment of recognition for our organization and the Bronx community,\u201d a museum spokesperson said in a statement.<\/p>\n

The broadcast proved Mamdani\u2019s local and national prominence as he marked his 100th day in office earlier this month. All eyes are on him as he begins to address the city\u2019s affordability crisis, with implications for his brand of \u201cpothole politics\u201d across the country.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mamdani, who has held at least two friendly-seeming meetings with President Donald Trump, said on the broadcast that while he and Trump find common ground as New Yorkers, \u201cThe president knows exactly where I stand,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy relationship with the President is important to deliver for New Yorkers,\u201d Mamdani said.\u00a0
\n\"\"Much of the MS NOW event focused on New Yorkers\u2019 cost of living concerns. Photo courtesy Anthony Ramirez\n<\/p>\n

At the same time, he said on the program that ICE, as a relatively new agency, \u201cshould be abolished.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur country has had answers to immigration long before we had ICE,\u201d Mamdani said.\n<\/p>\n

Hayes welcomed New Yorkers to the mic to question the mayor about childcare, housing, city-run supermarkets, taxing the wealthy and more.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

One attendee was Sarah Bediako, whose daughter attends the South Bronx school that Obama and Mamdani recently visited as part of his push for expanded free childcare in the city.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bediako said she loves the program and feels \u201csafe and comfortable\u201d with her daughter there \u2013 but lamented having to leave the workforce before finding that option.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Of her daughter\u2019s school, Bediako said, \u201cI wish that we had it for 2-K because I had to stay home for almost two years to care for her, because childcare was so expensive\u201d \u2014 at least $1,000 a week.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Much of the town hall focused on the kinds of affordability concerns Bediako\u2019s family experienced.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

With a new report<\/a> stating that one-quarter of New York City residents can\u2019t afford essentials such as food, rent and medical care, Mamdani faces sky-high expectations to deliver on his affordability campaign promises, including a rent freeze for rent-stabilized tenants, cheaper childcare and groceries and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mamdani also spoke about his first foray into raising taxes on the wealthy \u2014 a pied-\u00e0-terre tax<\/a> on homeowners who have multimillion-dollar residences in New York City while primarily living elsewhere.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hayes said the city is seeing a concerning divide between the rich and poor that is hurting its vibrancy.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\u201c[If] it keeps going in that direction of a city of like Wall Street folks and billionaires and folks that are just like making minimum wage, that\u2019s a tough city to sustain,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When it comes to sustaining high-quality public services that make the city attractive to people worldwide, the mayor said that New York City\u2019s greatness needs to be earned, not assumed.<\/p>\n

\u201cNone of us should rest on our laurels,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have to win the trust of New Yorkers by what we\u2019re delivering for them \u2014 not just tell them, \u2018Trust me, this is as good as it can be.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

As Mamdani faces tough questions on everything from high gas prices to housing costs to the terrible start to the Mets\u2019 season, he pledged not to automatically pass the blame to Trump or any other elected official or government branch.<\/p>\n

\u201cNew Yorkers don\u2019t have time for the technical differences between what government sector is responsible for what thing,\u201d he said. \u201cThey want to know, what are you going to do about it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Reach Emily Swanson at\u00a0eswanson@schnepsmedia.com<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0(646) 717-0015<\/a>. For more coverage, subscribe to our\u00a0newsletter<\/a>\u00a0and follow us on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>!<\/p>\n