Zohran Mamdani on New York’s child care funding expansion plan : NPR

JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:

New York City and New York state don't always see eye to eye, but they do today on the issue of child care. New York's governor and New York City's mayor made a joint announcement today - a plan to increase child care funding, starting this year, with the goal of eventually providing universal child care throughout the state for kids under 5.

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KATHY HOCHUL: For decades, governors have promised some form of child care, but never delivered. And I'm here to say the era of empty promises ends with the two of us right here...

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: Yeah.

HOCHUL: ...Right now.

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SUMMERS: That is Governor Kathy Hochul speaking. Both she and New York's mayor, Zohran Mamdani, have made the cost of raising children a major part of their individual campaigns to address affordability. So for more details today, we've reached the new mayor of New York City. Hi there, Mayor Mamdani.

ZOHRAN MAMDANI: Hi. How's it going?

SUMMERS: I'm well. Let's just start really big picture. Give us a quick overview of what today's announcement will mean.

MAMDANI: Today's announcement is a commitment from New York state to send $1.21 billion to New York City to take the first steps towards universal child care. After housing in the city, child care is the most expensive cost for working families.