{"id":93945,"date":"2026-01-08T18:35:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T18:35:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/93945\/"},"modified":"2026-01-08T18:35:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T18:35:08","slug":"zohran-mamdani-and-kathy-hochul-announce-new-york-child-care-investment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/93945\/","title":{"rendered":"Zohran Mamdani and Kathy Hochul announce New York child care investment"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s a big day in New York, where Gov. Kathy Hochul and NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani just announced major investments<\/a> in free and affordable child care across the city and state. I just got back to my desk after spending the morning at the YMCA in Flatbush, Brooklyn, where the duo teamed up to make the announcement.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a huge political win for Mamdani, who is only on Day 8 of the job and promised universal child care throughout his campaign. New York City will for the first time launch \u201c2-care,\u201d which ages down existing child care programs to 2-year-olds. Paid for out of the state\u2019s budget<\/a>, it\u2019ll be available in high-need areas first.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also a major move by Hochul, who has been working on this issue since before Mamdani came on the scene. She highlighted that she\u2019s already spent $8 billion on child care in New York. These new initiatives allocate an additional $1.7 billion for a total of $4.5 billion in the state\u2019s 2027 budget. <\/p>\n

I tagged along today with Reshma Saujani, the founder of the advocacy organization Moms First, who has been lobbying to expand access to child care\u2014with a special focus on bringing the business community on board\u2014and has worked with Hochul since 2023. She calls this news a \u201cturning point for families across the state.\u201d Outside New York City, child care access lags behind programs available in NYC, so Hochul\u2019s statewide investments focus on expanding universal pre-K. <\/p>\n

For both politicians, the joint effort sets a new tone. In a speech, Mamdani called out past \u201cdysfunction\u201d between New York city and state and emphasized his appreciation for Hochul\u2019s partnership. Child care was an issue where the pair found common ground during Mamdani\u2019s campaign, before Hochul\u2019s endorsement was a sure thing. <\/p>\n

New York\u2019s expansion of affordable child care follows a similar effort in New Mexico, which became the first state to offer universal child care<\/a> in September\u2014also under a female governor. I asked Hochul if she thinks New York\u2019s efforts will have even more sway on whether child care ever becomes universal across the entire country. \u201cAbsolutely,\u201d she said. \u201cNew Mexico is very important too, and I\u2019m proud of what my friend Michelle Lujan Grisham has accomplished there.\u201d Her message to other governors? \u201cMake it happen. Just do it. Stop waiting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emma Hinchliffe
emma.hinchliffe@fortune.com<\/a><\/p>\n

The Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter is Fortune\u2019s daily briefing for and about the women leading the business world. Subscribe here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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