Gov. Kathy Hochul rolled out her $260 billion executive budget on Tuesday, which she says addresses the state’s needs without taxing the rich — something that Mayor Zohran Mamdani continues to insist is necessary to make New York City affordable for everyone.
The governor’s budget proposal, the first step in hammering out a new spending deal with the state Legislature by April 1, includes plans to provide free childcare to children aged two and over in New York City and children aged four and up throughout the rest of New York State, pledging $4.5 billion to expand free childcare statewide. That investment represents a $1.7 billion increase compared to the 2025 state budget.
