Hochul backs Mamdani on free childcare with vow to fund universal program for NYC 2-year-olds

On Thursday, New York Governor Kathy Hochul rolled out plans to have "free" childcare for all two-year-olds in New York City and said that there would be expanded pre-K as well as other early childhood learning programs across the rest of New York. She claimed that this would be done without any tax increases, at least for 2026. She appeared alongside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to make the announcement.

New York already has universal pre-K as well as 3K programs, but Hochul said she will be working with Mamdani to bring that service down to all two-year-olds in NYC. Hochul said that she will see to it that the "free" childcare for 2-year-olds in the Big Apple is "fully" funded. Mamdani made universal and free childcare a pillar of his mayoral run during his campaign and has made a series of other promises for free goods and services, even saying that the city will make available World Cup tickets to all New Yorkers.

In addition to helping Mamdani install the free childcare program, Hochul will assist Mamdani in an attempt to shore up the city's 3K program to get to the socialist promise of free childcare for everyone, per the New York Post.

The funding that will back the 2-year-old childcare program will be used from funding from the state but paid for with existing revenue. Hochul's office said that there will be no additional tax increase to fund the program, at least for 2026.

Hochul will be running for reelection in the fall, and if she were to increase taxes, it would likely be an issue for her reelection bid as she has to appeal to more of New York other than the deep blue city of New York.

Mamdani, on the other hand, has promised to increase taxes amounting to $9 billion on millionaires and corporations for "free" programs such as universal childcare.