The announcement was made during a joint press conference with Governor Kathy Hochul and Chancellor Kamar H. Samuels. Mamdani used the event to criticize his political opponent Bruce Blakeman, accusing him of wanting to cut the Medicaid budget and reduce state assistance for working families. Mamdani alleged that Blakeman views universal childcare programs as rewards for "lazy parents."
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
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NYC's Free 2-K Childcare now Covers all of Bronx and Staten Island
US Politics1 day ago
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has increased the number of available preschool positions for toddlers to bring the total citywide capacity to 12,000. The expansion of the free 2-K program now covers every neighborhood in the Bronx and Staten Island, while also adding seats to certain districts in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. The municipal initiative will add 10,000 seats across 17 school districts by fall 2027, which Mamdani claims will save parents more than $25,000 per child.
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