New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) on Tuesday announced plans to offer 2,000 free child care spots to 2-year-olds, taking the first step toward achieving the mayor’s campaign promise of universal child care.
The program will launch this fall, offering free spots to toddlers in four neighborhoods before expanding to provide access to all 2-year-olds in the city within four years, Mamdani said.
The program will be funded with existing state tax revenue after Hochul this year announced a $1.2 billion commitment for early child care and education, including $73 million to fund the first 2,000 seats. By fall 2027, when the program expands to 12,000 free seats across all five boroughs, the state investment will grow to $425 million…