Transcript: Mayor Mamdani Advances New York City’s First Free Child Care Program Pilot for Municipal Workers
Zohran Mamdani on NYC Mayor's Office transcripts.
Passages
This will be able to accommodate 40 children, and the applications will begin shortly. They will be available to every employee who works at this site, as well as every DCAS employee across the city.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the source Yes, this will also have a vendor that is contracted to provide this service. But also, as Executive Director of DC37, Henry Garrido, mentioned, we're also seeing so many DCAS workers making this a possibility today. [Crosstalk]
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the source There are a few things. Um, the first change is that we're expanding eligibility Expanding eligibility to include everyone who works within this building. Prior, it had only been eligible for DCAS employees to be able to apply. Secondly, the prior administration had only put capital funding towards this, no actual operating funding towards the running of this site. We are going to be putting that funding into the executive budget. We anticipate that that will be around $2.3 million. That's for this site, yes. For this site, yes.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the source We are pursuing every possible avenue to make it easier to have kids and raise those kids here in the city, especially when we're talking about for so many of the workers who keep this city running. And so, this is something that we're pursuing for children from six weeks to three years, alongside pursuing universal 2K for every single two-year-old by the end of four years. And I appreciate also what Henry was saying earlier, which is it's part of a longstanding advocacy we've also seen from the champions of city workers across the city. And we look forward to seeing the results of this and uncovering every potential avenue to build on it.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the source We directed every city agency and department to find $1.7 billion in savings over two fiscal years. And we made this directive to them with a focus on efficiency, on rooting out any instance of fraud or waste. Now, we will not rest even after we hit that $1.7 billion because wherever there is an example in efficiency, it's an opportunity for City government to rise to meet the moment. However, we will not use the fiscal crisis as a justification to cut the very kinds of services that New Yorkers rely on. That is what New Yorkers are looking to us for, to have a responsible stewardship of the city's fiscal health while continuing to provide those essential services. That's what we anticipate. That is exactly what we will be doing. And as we continue these budget negotiations, it will always be the focus of what we do.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the source These were a number of suggestions that were put forward by our city agencies. The beauty of this bracket is that every suggestion wins in that even if it doesn't win its bracket, it will still be fixed. The competition is just which one I'm going to be there to fix. And that is something that we've been excited to see so many New Yorkers engage in this process. Because our point that we're making to New Yorkers is that we have to be able to focus on the biggest expenses in their lives, things like child care, and also the kinds of annoyances that are too often overlooked when it comes to living in the city.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the source I think any New Yorker is — they have the right to critique. And also, we need to be able to critique. We need to protect them from any threat of political violence. That is the truth for Nerdeen and for anyone who calls this city home. I was informed by the NYPD of this attempted plot on Friday. I am thankful for their and the FBI's efforts to ensure that this plot, which could have endangered Nerdeen's life, as well as those of other New Yorkers, was thwarted. And I want to be very clear that we do not tolerate any kind of violent extremism in this city. We do not tolerate any kind of violent extremism in this city. No one should face violence for their political beliefs or for their advocacy. And I'm relieved that Nerdeen is safe.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the source I'm not sure quite what to say about Bruce Blakeman. What I can tell you is the proposal that he might be focusing on is one that's often been mischaracterized. What we've put our support behind as part of a menu of options to raise revenues to bridge the city's fiscal deficit is an estate tax that would also have an exemption of an additional $1.75 million when it comes to primary residences. So, we've seen Blakeman and others try and characterize this as if it would impact middle-class homeowners, when the truth of it is that it wouldn't. And look, we're talking about a man who espouses so much of what has diminished New Yorkers faith in politics across the city and across the state. Someone who looks at what ICE is doing and thinks it's exactly what the city needs to see. We are all here representing different levels of government, advocacy, organized labor, commissioners. And yet I would dare to say amidst all of that, we agree on the fact that what New Yorkers deserve is dignity, safety and not having to deal with elected representatives who are looking to determine which one of us belongs and which one of us should be deported. And it's no surprise to me that he's coming all the way to City Hall to talk about affordability because we're one of the only places that is taking affordability seriously. In Nassau County, his focus is on how to round up as many people as possible and send them as far away as he can.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the source You know, I think there have been a lot of attempts to make us the focal point, and a lot of times it also spreads some of the message of what we're talking about. And I'll just — I'll welcome the opportunity.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the source Great skit. Thank you very much. I think the only conspiracy that's on offer is two people who have a sense of humor and are willing to poke fun at themselves. And, you know, we reached out to Curtis and asked him if he'd be willing to be a part of a sketch where he played a cat allergist doctor. And we shot that sketch. And I think that what New Yorkers want to see is a city where we can vehemently disagree with each other and also still know that we live in the same city. And a sense of humor, I think, is a prerequisite to being a New Yorker. And all of these people who can't distinguish between a sketch and reality, I think it shows some of the problems they're having with their politics.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the source We're encouraged by the nature of the negotiations and the conversations we're having with the state legislative leaders. And what has been heartening is a recognition of the fact that we came into office looking at a $12 billion fiscal deficit. And over the time, with the accounting for Wall Street bonuses and revenues and savings, as well as with $1.6 billion in commitments from the state, we were able to reduce that to $5.4 billion. That is still a significant fiscal deficit that is one that we want to meet in partnership, with our partners at the state. And we've seen an understanding of the scale of what this deficit is, as well as the many different options the state has of providing a structural solution to a structural crisis.
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the source So, I'll just, I'll lay it out a little bit. We inherited this crisis. The importance of stating that out loud is that it's not a result of spending decisions we've made over the last three months. This is a result of under-budgeting and financial mismanagement that preceded our administration. If we seek to meet this kind of a deficit with just one-time funding, then it will mean that in a year from now, we will all return with the same issue in front of us. That's why we talk about this both being a structural crisis, needing structural solutions. And I think structural solutions are the shifting of the cost burdens we've seen over the last decade, going from the state to the city, back to a fairer place. What we've talked about is ending the drain. And a taxing of the wealthiest New Yorkers and the most profitable corporations, that little bit more, so that we can afford to make a city where each and every New Yorker can actually keep calling it its home. ###
Zohran MamdaniCheck at the source
Every passage above is taken from this recording: NYC Mayor's Office transcripts, Transcript: Mayor Mamdani Advances New York City’s First Free Child Care Program Pilot for Municipal Workers.