The red berets are out, but they aren’t Curtis Sliwa’s this time. They belong to a different movement. Zohran Mamdani, the 34-year-old democratic socialist who just took the keys to City Hall, didn't just win an election; he upended the entire idea of what a New York City budget is supposed to look like. If you’ve been following the news, you know the term "freebie" has been thrown around a lot lately.
Critics call them handouts. Supporters call them survival.
But for the average Newer Yorker trying to figure out how to pay $3,000 for a studio in Astoria while spending $15 on a salad, the socialist NYC mayoral candidate pledged freebies are more than just campaign slogans. They are a radical attempt to "Trump-proof" the city by making the cost of living... well, actually livable.
The Big Three: Buses, Babies, and Bedding Down
Mamdani’s platform isn't exactly subtle. It’s built on a few massive pillars that he claims will save the average family thousands of dollars a year. Honestly, it sounds like a dream for some and a fiscal nightmare for others.
Fast and Fare-Free Buses
This was the crown jewel of the campaign. Mamdani wants to make every single MTA bus in the five boroughs free to ride. He argues that since 50% of riders are already jumping the turnstile or walking through the back doors, the city should just stop pretending and foot the bill.
The math? It’s about $700 million to $800 million a year. That sounds like a lot until you realize the city budget is over $110 billion. Mamdani claims this won't just save riders $2.90; it’ll speed up the buses by 12% because people won't be fumbling with OMNY at the front door.
Universal Childcare (The "Babies" Pillar)
This is where the real money is. Mamdani has teamed up with Governor Kathy Hochul (who has been surprisingly cooperative lately) to push for universal, no-cost childcare for every child under five.
We’re talking about clearing a waitlist of 10,000 families immediately.
- Cost: Roughly $6 billion annually at full scale.
- Goal: Turning childcare from a "luxury" into a public right, much like K-12 schooling.
- The "Baby Basket": A literal basket of essentials for every newborn, modeled after the Finnish system.
The Rent Freeze
He wants to use his power over the Rent Guidelines Board to implement a total freeze on rent-stabilized apartments. If you live in one of the roughly one million stabilized units in the city, your rent wouldn't go up a cent. Landlords are, predictably, freaking out. They say they can't pay for repairs if the income stays flat. Mamdani’s response? Basically, "Figure it out or sell to the city."
The City-Owned Grocery Store Gambit
You’ve probably seen the headlines about the "socialist grocery stores." This is perhaps the weirdest and most fascinating part of the socialist NYC mayoral candidate pledged freebies list.
Mamdani wants to create a network of city-run grocery stores that operate at cost. No profit margins. No executive bonuses. Since the city wouldn't have to pay itself property taxes on the buildings, the campaign argues they can undercut Stop & Shop and Key Food by 20% or more.
"Everywhere I go, I hear New Yorkers talking about the outrageous prices of groceries," Mamdani said during the final debate. "This is a bold and workable plan."
Is it actually workable?
Well, it depends on who you ask. Skeptics point out that the city can barely run the subway—do we really want them managing the supply chain for avocados? But for folks in food deserts in the Bronx or East New York, the idea of a stable, low-cost place to buy milk is a game-changer.
Who Is Paying for All This?
This is the question that keeps the Manhattan Institute up at night. You can't just give away $6 billion in childcare and $800 million in bus rides without a serious influx of cash.
Mamdani has been very upfront about his "Tax the Rich" strategy.
- A 2% tax on the "ultra-wealthy": Specifically targeting those making over $1 million a year.
- Raising corporate tax rates: Reversing some of the breaks given to big tech and finance firms over the last decade.
- Ending "subsidies": Redirecting money that currently goes to private developers or private grocery chains into public programs.
The catch? He can't do most of this alone. He needs the state legislature in Albany to sign off on any new taxes. If the state says no, the "freebies" might end up being nothing more than very expensive campaign promises.
The "Trump-Proofing" Factor
It’s impossible to talk about the 2026 NYC political landscape without mentioning the tension with Washington. President Trump has already threatened to withhold federal funding from the city because of Mamdani’s "radical" agenda and his stance on immigration.
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Mamdani’s inaugural address was basically a challenge to the White House. He’s betting that by making the city more affordable for the working class, he creates a base of supporters who will defend his administration against federal pressure. It’s a high-stakes game of chicken with billions of dollars on the line.
What Most People Get Wrong
People think "socialist" means the government takes over everything. In Mamdani’s New York, it’s more about de-commodification.
It’s the idea that certain things—getting to work, feeding your kid, having a roof over your head—shouldn't be subject to the whims of the market. It’s not about taking away your private property; it’s about making sure the "public" parts of the city actually serve the public.
But there are real risks.
If the wealthy leave New York to avoid the 2% tax, the tax base shrinks. If the MTA doesn't get the $800 million promised to replace fare revenue, service could plummet. It’s a delicate balancing act that requires near-perfect execution.
Actionable Steps for New Yorkers
If you're living in NYC right now, the "Mamdani Era" is going to change your life in some very specific ways. Here is how you can actually take advantage of—or prepare for—these changes:
- Check Your Rent Status: Find out if your apartment is rent-stabilized. If it is, keep a close eye on the Rent Guidelines Board meetings this spring. You might be looking at a 0% increase for the first time in years.
- Apply for CCAP: If you have kids under five, the Child Care Assistance Program waitlist is the first thing the administration is clearing. Get your paperwork in now.
- Ditch the MetroCard: (Well, for the bus anyway). If you’re a regular bus rider, stay tuned for the "Free Bus" rollout dates, likely starting with specific lines in Brooklyn and Queens as a pilot before going citywide.
- Watch the Albany Budget: The real battle happens in the state capitol. If you want these "freebies" to stick, you’ll need to put pressure on your State Senator and Assemblymember to support the tax hikes Mamdani is proposing.
The experiment has begun. Whether it leads to a more equitable "City for All" or a fiscal cliff remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: New York isn't going to be boring for the next four years.