NY Governor Kathy Hochul Rejects Tax Hikes To Fund Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani’s Progressive Agenda
Tuesday, November 11, 2025, 6:45 A.M. ET. 3 Minute Read, By Jennifer Hodges, Political Editor: Englebrook Independent News,
MANHATTAN, NY.- New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on Monday doubled down on the centerpiece promises of his campaign, fare-free city buses and expanded universal childcare, while unveiling top transition appointments and pledging that his administration will be built to deliver. “I and my team will build a City Hall capable of delivering on the promises of this campaign,” he said at a morning press conference announcing his first deputy mayor and chief of staff.
Mamdani’s insistence on moving ahead comes amid early resistance from Albany. Gov. Kathy Hochul, over the weekend and again on Monday, distanced herself from the mayor-elect’s plan to eliminate bus fares, saying she is “not ready to move forward” with free buses and prefers targeted subsidies for low-income riders, signaling a major funding hurdle for one of Mamdani’s marquee proposals.
Hochul has also indicated opposition to raising taxes to finance the broader agenda, a tool Mamdani campaigned on to help pay for measures such as universal childcare and fare-free transit. Reporting last week underscored the governor’s resistance to tax hikes as pressure mounted from progressives following Mamdani’s win.
Mamdani, who defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa in a historic election to become the city’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor, ran on a sweeping affordability platform that also includes rent freezes, a higher minimum wage, and city-run grocery stores. He will be sworn in on January 1, 2026.
At Monday’s event, the mayor-elect named veteran budget hand Dean Fuleihan as his first deputy mayor, an appointment viewed as an attempt to balance progressive ambitions with fiscal know-how and Albany relationships. The choice underscores the challenge ahead: many of Mamdani’s proposals require state cooperation, MTA coordination, or both.
Where Hochul Stands Now;
Hochul’s recent comments mark a clear walk-back from progressive expectations that she might embrace tax increases or fully underwrite Mamdani’s transit pledge after signaling alignment with him on the goal of universal childcare during the campaign’s final stretch. Over the weekend at the SOMOS conference in Puerto Rico, she poured cold water on citywide free buses; on Monday, she reiterated that stance, indicating she favors targeted aid over a universal fare holiday. Separately, coverage last week emphasized that she opposes raising statewide taxes to fund Mamdani’s agenda.
The Path, And The Obstacle Ahead;
Analysts say implementing fare-free buses citywide would require replacing hundreds of millions in lost farebox revenue and coordinating with the state-controlled MTA; universal childcare would require billions annually and a durable state revenue plan. Mamdani’s team has argued that high-earner and corporate tax hikes could help fund the programs, but those ideas face resistance in Albany.
For now, Mamdani is pressing forward, telling supporters he intends to keep his campaign promises. Whether the city can deliver on universal offerings, rather than targeted subsidies and pilots favored by the governor, will turn on negotiations among City Hall, the Legislature, and Hochul in the months leading up to budget season.
Editor’s Note:
Attribution for this report includes WABC’s coverage of Mamdani’s Monday press conference and appointments; NY1’s reporting from November 8, 2025, on Gov. Hochul’s stance opposing fare-free buses; additional WABC reporting on Hochul’s remarks Monday; contextual coverage from TIME and The Guardian on Mamdani’s platform and funding approach; and AP reporting on the transition team. Written and Edited by Jennifer Hodges, Political Editor for Englebrook Independent News. © 2025 Englebrook Independent News. All Rights Reserved.
