New York Governor Shuts Down Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Free’ Bus Plan

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is signaling serious hesitation about Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s signature proposal to make NYC buses “free.”

Hochul shot down the plan this week despite endorsing Mamdani’s mayoral run just two months ago.

Speaking at the Somos Conference in Puerto Rico, Hochul suggested the plan may not be financially feasible given the state’s current commitments to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

“We’re spending a lot of money, so I cannot set forth a plan right now that takes money out of a system that relies on the fares of the buses and the subways,” Hochul said, according to the New York Post.

She referenced the billions in state funding already committed to major MTA projects, adding:

“But can we find a path to make it more affordable for people who need help? Of course we can.”

The remark marks one of Hochul’s first public expressions of concern over Mamdani’s transit agenda.

At a separate press conference on Monday, Mamdani responded by doubling down on his pledge.

“I continue to be excited at the work of making the slowest buses in America fast and free,” he said, according to the Post.

“And I appreciate the governor’s continued partnership in delivering on that agenda of affordability.”

Mamdani’s Plan Relies on Major Tax Hikes

Mamdani, a prominent member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), has outlined an aggressive set of tax increases to fund free buses and universal childcare.

Under his proposal:

• The personal income tax rate on the top 1% would rise by 2 percentage points.
• The corporate tax rate would increase to match New Jersey’s 11.5% rate.

“I’ve said time and time again that I believe these are the most straightforward ways that we can actually fund universal childcare, making buses fast and free,” Mamdani said in October on Fox News’s “The Story.”

He added: “Now, if there are other ways to raise this money to fund this agenda, the most important thing is that we fund the agenda.”

MTA Facing Hundreds of Millions in Lost Revenue

A standard New York City bus ride currently costs $2.90, while express buses cost $7.

But the MTA’s finances have been battered by years of rampant fare evasion.

“In 2022, we lost about $315 million to fare evasion on buses,” the MTA reported last year.

Those lossesNew York Gov. Kathy Hochul is signaling serious hesitation about Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s signature proposal to make NYC buses “free.” underscore the challenge of removing fares entirely, while the MTA continues to rely heavily on farebox revenue, a reality Hochul emphasized in her remarks.

With Hochul now publicly expressing reservations, Mamdani faces the prospect of trying to enact a sweeping revenue-dependent transit overhaul without full support from the governor, who endorsed his bid for higher office.

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