Zohran Mamdani's 5 major campaign promises
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Mamdani has repeatedly emphasized the need to bring down the racked-up affordability crisis in the city, a strong indicator of his commitment to grassroots-level politics. "This is a city where one in four of its people are living in poverty, a city where 500,000 kids go to sleep hungry every night," he told the BBC at a recent event. "And ultimately, it's a city that is in danger of losing that which makes it so special."
He has proposed to introduce a chain of city-owned grocery stores, a rent freeze on all rent-stabilized units, stricter accountability for landlords, and the creation of a Social Housing Development Agency to oversee the construction of 200,000 subsidized housing units over a three-year period. Community benefits
In addition, Mamdani has also promised universal childcare for kids aged six weeks to five years. Higher education will be made more affordable by eliminating tuition fees at public colleges and removing property tax exemptions extended to private universities. He also plans to set up a Department of Community Safety meant to enhance public safety measures such as housing assistance, community outreach, and mental health service providers. Increase taxation
In order to implement the proposed measures, Mamdani is willing to introduce a 2% city income tax on citizens earning more than $1 million along with an increase in corporate taxes. This additional income is meant to support universal childcare, tuition-free public college (CUNY/ SUNY), expansion of tenant legal support, free public transport, and subsidized grocery stores. Infrastructure and amenities
In addition to the subsidized housing facilities, Mamdani has also proposed a plan to make all MTA buses fare-free and freeze subway fares. These measures are meant to increase ridership on these modes of transport, introduce climate protection, cut back on congestion pricing, and provide better infrastructure for those using pedestrian or cycling lanes. Immigration, LGBTQ+ rights and hate crimes
Mamdani's views on Israel and Palestine have been a source of contention but also unprecedented due to their open declaration. As a vocal supporter of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, he has repeatedly called Israel's actions a 'genocide' and believes that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be imprisoned. While he recognizes the country's legitimacy to exist, he also emphasizes their need to uphold international law and condones all such violence. Previously, he introduced a bill to remove the tax-exempt status granted to certain New York-based charities with ties to Israeli settlements.
ALSO READ| Statue of Liberty wears a burqa in MAGA pics after Zohran Mamdani win
He is an active supporter of LGBTQ+ rights and plans to set up a special Affairs Office, extend access to gender-affirming healthcare, and grant sanctuary protection to undocumented workers. Granting legal aid and language access to immigrants is another cornerstone of his policy. He has also been quite vocal about emphasizing his Muslim identity throughout the campaign, even recording an entire campaign video in Urdu.
The election took place on Tuesday (June 24) and if elected, Mamdani will come to office in November of this year. By Stuti Gupta
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