New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani acknowledged in a wide-ranging interview with Politico published Tuesday that his signature campaign promise to make city buses free is not coming to fruition this year, citing funding obstacles and ongoing negotiations with Albany.
Asked directly whether free buses had been pushed to 2027, Mr. Mamdani pointed to pilot-program language included in both the Assembly and Senate one-house budget proposals, saying his administration remains in active talks with Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office and state legislative leaders.
“I’m absolutely committed to making buses fast and free, and we’re encouraged by the conversations we’re having with the governor and legislative leaders to take action on that in 2026 as a first step,” he told Politico.
The mayor had framed the pledge as a term-length goal rather than a first-year deliverable. In January, he said the immediate priority was delivering a balanced budget as required by law, while promising buses would be free by the time he left office.
The free bus plan carries an estimated annual cost of between $600 million and $700 million, according to figures Mr. Mamdani presented to state lawmakers in February — revised down from the roughly $800 million figure he cited during his campaign. MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber has disputed that estimate, saying the real cost would be closer to $1 billion once higher ridership is factored in.
To fund the plan, Mr. Mamdani has proposed a 2% city income tax surcharge on earners above $1 million annually and an increase in corporate tax rates for large firms — both of which require approval from the state Legislature. Ms. Hochul has ruled out income tax increases but has signaled more openness to a corporate tax hike, according to New York Focus.
The two legislative chambers included free bus pilot language in their budget proposals, though neither committed to citywide fare elimination. The Assembly proposed $15 million to fund one fare-free line per borough; the Senate called more broadly for reviving a prior pilot program.
A mayoral spokesperson told Fox News Digital the administration remains committed to the plan, saying Mr. Mamdani intends to deliver fare-free buses before the end of his term.
Mr. Mamdani previously championed a free bus pilot in Queens as a state assembly member, citing a ridership increase of more than 30% and a nearly 40% drop in assaults on bus operators. The administration has pointed to that program as a proof of concept for expanding the model citywide.
The concession comes as Mr. Mamdani works to advance a broader affordability platform — including proposals for city-owned grocery stores and rent freezes — while navigating a projected budget shortfall of more than $5 billion and friction with both the governor and the City Council over how to close it.
This article was constructed with the assistance of artificial intelligence and published by a member of The Washington Times’ AI News Desk team. The contents of this report are based solely on The Washington Times’ original reporting, wire services, and/or other sources cited within the report. For more information, please read our AI policy or contact Steve Fink, Director of Artificial Intelligence, at sfink@washingtontimes.com
The Washington Times AI Ethics Newsroom Committee can be reached at aispotlight@washingtontimes.com.
