Zohran Mamdani’s Vision Is What New York Deserves

The 34-year-old Mamdani’s campaign has been very effective in reaching young people. Art: Madeline Lee

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By MIRANDA LIU

New York is often praised as “the greatest city in the world,” yet too many of its people struggle to afford groceries, rent, and childcare. Zohran Mamdani flips that script with a vision rooted in fairness. From free childcare to permanently affordable housing, his ideas reimagine New York as a city of opportunity, not just for the privileged, but to be shared by everyone who calls it home.

Mamdani is an assembly member representing Astoria, Queens, known for his bold and progressive approach to politics. His ideas matter because they address the city’s biggest challenges, from rising rent to childcare costs to public safety and fair wages, offering solutions that put people first.

Housing shouldn’t be a privilege reserved for the rich – it’s a basic human need. Mamdani’s housing plan stands out as one of the most powerful parts of his vision. By building 200,000 new affordable, union-built homes and freezing rent for every tenant living in a rent-stabilized home, he’s addressing the crisis that has pushed thousands of families out of the city. Mamdani’s approach reminds us that housing should be for the people, not for profit. But affordability is only one part of what makes his vision stand out. His focus on care and safety goes even further. 

A city that truly cares about its people invests in their well-being from the start. Mamdani intends to implement free childcare for children aged six weeks to five years old. This gives families the stability they need while fostering early childhood development, ensuring every child has a strong foundation. 

Another initiative, Mamdani’s proposal for a Department of Community Safety, would rethink how we handle crime. Rather than relying on punishing crime after the harm is done, his plan focuses on preventing violence before it happens, through mental health support and community outreach.

Mamdani’s plan to increase the minimum wage from $16.50/hr to $30/hr by 2030 is also appealing as it would give a lifeline to workers who have been struggling to keep up with rising costs in the city. However, there are possible downsides to it. Some economists mention that such a rise in the minimum wage would drive inflation higher while killing small businesses, since employers would be unable to afford paying low-level employees $60,000 a year. Considering how NYC thrives on its entrepreneurs, this idea may negatively impact the city’s economy, so while the proposal sounds exciting, there are risks involved.

Another question is how the city will be able to pay for all of Mamdani’s initiatives. By raising taxes on the top one percent of earners to fund his programs, Mamdani aims to rebalance a system that has favored the wealthy for way too long. 

Critics argue that the rich already pay enough taxes, as 48% of all the income tax NYC takes in comes from just the top 1% of earners, according to the comptroller’s office. These critics worry that further raising taxes on the rich will backfire, since it could drive wealthy residents and businesses out of the city. So again, while this idea sounds good in principle, Mamdani must be careful not to scare away the city’s millionaires and billionaires, as we still need their tax dollars.

One more topic where Mamdani has shown a bold approach is public transportation. We can all agree that New York City’s system is not the most accessible nor efficient. Mamdani intends to permanently eliminate the fare on every city bus and build priority lanes so buses can run faster. 

Some have expressed concerns that this would lead to more people who are struggling with homelessness and mental illnesses hanging around or sleeping on buses, since they would no longer need to pay the fare to get on. It’s possible that lingering worries over safety on the subway could expand to buses. A solution could be to add supervision on buses like we have in many subway stations, with an NYPD officer on board to directly handle serious disruptions or violent behavior.

In short, though there are a few details to work out, Zohran Mamdani’s vision is exactly what New York City needs. His ideas actually address the struggles that New Yorkers face daily. From affordable housing and accessible childcare to fair wages and free buses, Mamdani’s proposals place our citizens, not profit, at the center of the city’s future. It’s a vision that New York’s greatness can finally belong to everyone, not just a few.