Here’s a look at Zohran Mamdani’s policy ideas

New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani waves during a campaign rally at Forest Hills Stadium in the Queens borough of New York on October 26, 2025. (Credit: Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)

Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, the frontrunner in the city’s mayoral race, has multiple proposals that have garnered significant interest throughout the campaign as he aims to make the city more affordable.

They include a plan to create New York City’s first universal childcare program, making city buses free and freezing the rent for one million rent-stabilized tenants in the city.

He has also proposed a tax on the city’s wealthiest residents and an increase in the city’s corporate tax rate to pay for his policy ideas, which his critics have said are unrealistic.

As mayor, Mamdani would need the state legislature and the governor to approve a tax hike. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who endorsed Mamdani, has said she will not support a tax increase on the most wealthy, arguing she doesn’t want business leaders leaving the state.

Here’s more on some of his policy ideas, which have provoked intense interest as well as skepticism throughout the campaign.

Universal childcare

The cost of childcare is at a crisis level in New York City, which is one of the most expensive cities in the world.

Mamdani’s proposal would implement free childcare for all New York City children ages six weeks to 5-years-old and would expand existing pre-K and 3-K programs launched during Bill de Blasio’s administration. Mamdani wants to fund his proposal by taxing high earners and corporations.

Critics such as Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa say that there would not be enough funding to do so.

Fast and free buses

Mamdani made buses a centerpiece of his campaign, proposing to expand a pandemic-era pilot program and eliminate fares on all city buses.

Mamdani has proposed expanding dedicated bus lanes to speed up bus traffic. Mamdani’s free bus proposal would be funded by raising the state’s corporate tax rate as well as income taxes on New Yorkers who earn more than US$1 million per year.

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running in the race as an independent candidate, has criticized the proposal as “unnecessary benefits to wealthy New Yorkers who take the bus and can afford the fare.”

Cuomo has proposed making subways and buses free for the lowest-income New Yorkers.

City-run grocery stores

Mamdani would also like to create five government-subsidized grocery stores, one in each New York City borough. This is one of Mamdani’s most controversial ideas, with critics comparing his plan to Soviet-era government food rationing.

Mamdani, who refers to his plan as a “public option for produce,” has said the government stores would address rising food prices by using city land for the stores, buying food at wholesale prices and not charging owners property taxes.