USA

Hochul casts doubt on NYC Mayor-elect Mamdani’s free buses proposal

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

New York Governor Kathy Hochul appeared to cast doubt on New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s vision for free buses.

“We spend a lot of money, so I can’t put forward a plan that would take money from a system that currently relies on bus and subway fares,” Hochul said at the Somos Conference in Puerto Rico. New York Post.

The newspaper said Hochul made the statement regarding funds the state provides to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates New York City’s bus system, for major projects.

Hochul reportedly added on Saturday: “But can we find a way to make this more affordable for the people who need help? Of course we can.”

MAMDANI’S SOCIALIST, CITY GOVERNED BALANCE PLAN FACES REACTION FROM HOCHUL: ‘I SUPPORT THE FREE INITIATIVE’

New York Governor Kathy Hochul (left) and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. (Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images; Alejandro Granadillo/AP)

The comments come nearly two months after Hochul endorsed Mamdani in the governor’s race. Fox News Digital has reached out to Mamdani’s campaign for comment.

“I continue to be excited about the work to make the slowest buses in America fast and free,” Mamdani said at an unrelated news conference on Monday, the Post reported. “And I am grateful for the governor’s continued partnership in delivering on his affordability agenda.”

Mamdani, a democratic socialist, raised taxes on the city’s wealthiest residents and companies to fund free buses and universal child care.

WASHINGTON POST SLAMS MAMDANI’S FREE BUS OFFER, WARNING THAT THE OFFER WILL ATTRACT ‘Hobos and Drug Addicts’

Zohran Mamdani and Kathy Hochul in Puerto Rico

New York Governor Kathy Hochul (left) and New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani attend the SOMOS Puerto Rico conference on Thursday, November 6, 2025, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Alejandro Granadillo/AP Photo)

Mamdani said that under his plan, the personal income tax rate applied to the city’s richest 1 percent would increase by 2 percentage points, and the corporate tax rate would increase to equal the 11.5 percent rate in New Jersey. Fox News’ “Story” in October.

“I’ve said many times that I believe these are the simplest ways we can actually fund universal child care by making busing fast and free, and I’ve said there are two clear ways to do that: raise personal income taxes on the top 1% by 2% and raise the corporate income tax to match New Jersey’s 11.5% corporate income tax,” Mamdani said. “Now, if there are other ways to raise this money to fund this agenda, the most important thing is that we fund the agenda.”

It currently costs $2.90 to ride a bus in New York, while express buses cost $7 per trip. But the MTA is trying to do this. fight wage evasion for years.