The issue uniting Mamdani and Hochul? Universal child care.

October 29, 2025

New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, despite their contrasting backgrounds and political ideologies, have united around making child care universally accessible and affordable for New Yorkers. Political experts view their collaboration as evidence that child care affordability has become a defining issue for younger voters, particularly millennials struggling with costs that have risen dramatically—averaging up to $26,000 annually for center-based infant care in New York City. While both politicians support universal child care, they differ on funding approaches: Mamdani proposes taxing wealthy residents, while Hochul has avoided endorsing tax increases despite estimating the program would cost $7 billion citywide and $15 billion statewide.

Who is affected

New York families with young children, particularly those with children under age 6
Low-income and middle-class parents struggling with child care costs
Working parents who have had to leave jobs or relocate due to unaffordable child care
Governor Kathy Hochul (who personally experienced child care challenges)
Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani (Democratic mayoral nominee)
Employers whose employees face child care affordability issues
New York City residents (particularly millennials and Gen Z voters)
Families of four making up to $108,000 who qualify for child care assistance
Parents who may leave New York state (40 percent more likely for those with children under 6)

What action is being taken

Hochul has tripled the child tax credit in New York state (up to $1,000 per child under 4, up to $500 per child ages 4-16)
Hochul announced a $2.2 billion investment in child care, including $110 million for new facilities, repairs, and home-based programs
Hochul raised the eligibility threshold for child care assistance so families of four making up to $108,000 qualify for $15-per-week child care
Hochul formed a task force to create a roadmap for universal child care
Rebecca Bailin's organization, New Yorkers United for Child Care, is organizing over 10,000 NYC parents around universal child care
Hochul and Mamdani are having conversations about how to achieve universal child care

Why it matters

Universal child care has emerged as a critical political issue that determines whether families can afford to remain in New York, with child care costs reaching up to $26,000 annually and rising 43-79 percent since 2019. The issue represents a fundamental shift from treating child care as an individual "women's issue" to recognizing it as a collective economic and societal problem that affects workforce participation, population retention, and economic mobility. For younger voters, particularly millennials experiencing these challenges firsthand, politicians' positions on child care affordability have become deciding factors in elections. Successfully implementing universal child care in New York could establish a national precedent for government intervention in this area and signal that addressing child care costs is essential to restoring economic opportunity and the "American dream" for struggling families.

What's next

Hochul is considering revenue streams outside of raising taxes to fund universal child care
Mamdani and Hochul plan to continue working together to make universal child care a reality for New Yorkers
The outcome of the New York City mayoral race (polls closing Tuesday) will determine whether Mamdani can advance his proposal
Implementation of universal child care would require collaboration between the mayor's office and the governor, as the mayor lacks authority to raise taxes independently

Read full article from source: The 19th