Politics

Mamdani’s Free Bus Promise Hits a Wall

By Jake Beardslee · November 21, 2025

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is facing intensified scrutiny over how he plans to pay for his signature campaign promise: free bus service across the five boroughs. While the policy was a major focus throughout his campaign, the mechanics of funding it remain unresolved as he prepares to take office.

During an interview with PIX11, anchor Dan Mannarino pressed Mamdani on how he intends to finance the proposal if Gov. Kathy Hochul refuses to raise taxes. Mamdani said the “clearest ways” to secure the money would be through higher corporate taxes or additional personal income taxes on residents earning more than $1 million annually. Still, he argued that “the most important fact is that we fund it, not the question of how we do it, but that we do it.”

Mamdani’s campaign platform included proposals such as “Raising the top state Corporate Tax rate to 11.5 percent” and “Adding a 2 percent New York City Income Tax for anyone making more than $1 million a year.” The mayor-elect, a self-described democratic socialist, repeatedly presented free bus service as a core policy goal of his bid for City Hall.

A major hindrance comes from Albany. Earlier this year, when asked whether she would support new tax increases, Gov. Kathy Hochul dismissed the idea outright, saying she’s “not raising taxes on people at a time when affordability is the big issue.” Her refusal leaves Mamdani with limited options for a policy he has promised to prioritize.

Despite the challenges, Mamdani continues to promote his fare-free transit vision. In a Thursday post on X, he wrote: “Free buses are an investment in our people and our economy — helping workers, small businesses, and every New Yorker who deserves a more connected city.”