During the press conference, Mayor Mamdani addressed several key issues concerning NYC residents.
The following questions were asked to Mayor Mamdani, and he provided these answers:
- Application Deadline for Child Care Center
- Question: A reporter noted that applications for the new child care center were only open until February 27th, asking if the deadline would be extended to give people more time. (9:16 – 9:29)
- Answer: The Mayor stated that the deadline would remain February 27th to ensure the city can process requests. He clarified that families who have already applied can edit their applications to include this center in their preferences. After the 27th, families can add their names to waitlists, and the application process is not “first come, first served,” meaning all applications submitted by the deadline are treated equally. (9:30 – 10:12)
- Preliminary Budget Proposal – Agency Cuts
- Question: The Mayor was asked why his preliminary budget proposed 1.5% to 2.5% agency cuts, rather than a higher percentage like the 5% seen in previous administrations (e.g., Bloomberg’s), for better savings. (10:15 – 10:37)
- Answer: The Mayor explained that setting an expense goal of 3-5% in prior administrations led to a reduction in city services, such as decreased garbage collection and cut library hours. He stated that his administration does not want to compromise service provision but aims to eliminate inefficiencies and waste to bring the city back to firm financial footing. (10:38 – 11:21)
- Application Allocations and Outreach Efforts
- Question: Following up on the budget, a reporter asked about the number of application allocations received by the city for child care and if that number had grown, especially compared to previous years, given criticisms of past outreach efforts. (11:24 – 11:47)
- Answer: The Mayor stated that the city is currently in line with prior years’ application numbers and anticipates more families will apply closer to the deadline. He detailed various outreach tools being used, including LinkNYC kiosks, taxi cab ads, and robocalls, to ensure every New Yorker knows how to enroll their child in 3-K and pre-K, regardless of language spoken. He also mentioned the availability of over 10 welcome centers where navigators assist with enrollment. (11:47 – 12:40)
- Support for Congressional Candidates
- Question: In light of an upcoming meeting with the congressional delegation, the Mayor was asked if he would be supporting certain congressional candidates mentioned by the reporter. (12:43 – 12:55)
- Answer: The Mayor stated that his public endorsements are the only ones he is speaking about at this time. He looked forward to the meeting to discuss the city’s needs and how they can work together for their constituents. (12:55 – 13:15)
- Outreach to Immigrant and Ethnic Communities / Feedback on Preliminary Budget
- Question: A reporter asked what outreach is being done for immigrant and ethnic communities who do not speak English, as the program is available to everyone. The reporter also asked how happy the Mayor was with the feedback on his preliminary budget. (13:18 – 13:32)
- Answer: The Mayor stated that they use every available tool for outreach, including roundtables with ethnic and immigrant media. He mentioned that the phone number for enrollment offers over 200 languages to ensure language is not a barrier. He expressed that they have been “heartened” by the results seen so far and the realization that the program is for everyone. On the budget, the Mayor explained that the city faces a “generational fiscal crisis” not caused by external factors but “man-made” within city government’s control. He stated that the city is required by law to balance the budget and seeks to do so by working with Albany to raise taxes on wealthy New Yorkers and profitable corporations, and ending the financial drain between the city and state. Without state action, the only other tool is a property tax increase, which they do not want to pursue. (13:34 – 15:45)
- Funding for Office to Combat Antisemitism / NYPD Buffer Zone Legislation
- Question: A reporter asked if the Mayor was considering or committed to a $20 million proposal from the previous head of the Office to Combat Antisemitism to identify vulnerable locations or houses of worship. The reporter also asked if the Mayor had spoken to NYPD Commissioner Tish and Speaker Menin about Commissioner Tish’s expressed reservations regarding buffer zone legislation. (15:56 – 16:32)
- Answer: On the buffer zone legislation, the Mayor stated he has directed his law department and NYPD to review its legality, emphasizing his commitment to protecting both freedom of worship and First Amendment rights to protest. He confirmed his police commissioner has expressed concerns about the proposal. Regarding the funding for the Office to Combat Antisemitism, the Mayor stated it is an active process and that they are expanding the funding for the office and utilizing every tool to “root out bigotry.” (16:34 – 17:24)
- NYPD Hiring and Retention
- Question: A reporter noted pushback on the Mayor’s decision not to hire 5,000 more police officers as his predecessor wanted. The reporter also asked what the Mayor would do to convince people to work as NYPD officers, given current attrition rates make it difficult to fill the budgeted headcount of 35,000. (17:27 – 18:06)
- Answer: The Mayor acknowledged the issue with retention in the department. He stated that the NYPD has taken on too many responsibilities, including 200,000 mental health calls annually. He explained that establishing a Department of Community Safety aims to transfer mental health crisis response to mental health responders, allowing police to focus on tackling violent crime. He also noted that larger classes are being hired. When asked if improving quality of life for officers by reducing forced overtime would help retention, the Mayor agreed, stating that too much forced overtime results from the expanding responsibilities given to officers. (18:07 – 19:20)
- Sanitation Plow Incident
- Question: A reporter asked for comment on reports of a sanitation plower causing a death by pushing snow onto a highway, and a resulting suspension in the sanitation department. (19:21 – 19:39)
- Answer: The Mayor stated that this is the subject of an active NYPD investigation and he could not provide comment while it is underway, but would share updates when available. (19:41 – 19:49)
- Fair Fares Expansion
- Question: A reporter pointed out that the expansion of “Fair Fares” (making transit more affordable) was missing from the preliminary budget, even though the Mayor had previously supported it. They asked if it would still happen despite its absence from the preliminary budget. (19:51 – 20:14)
- Answer: The Mayor explained that the preliminary budget is just the first step in the budget process, with an executive budget and adopted budget to follow. He reiterated his strong belief in making public transit more affordable and that Fair Fares is a critical tool for this. He also acknowledged the current fiscal crisis the city faces. (20:16 – 20:49)
- State Funding for Fair Fares
- Question: A reporter asked if the Mayor had spoken to the governor about the state helping to fund Fair Fares. (20:50 – 20:53)
- Answer: The Mayor confirmed that he continues to have conversations with the governor about the importance of more affordable public transit and appreciates their partnership. (20:54 – 21:01)
Sources: NYC video