““A pied-a-terre tax has been something that has long been fought for in the city but hasn’t been possible to get over the finish line. It’s been really exciting to work with the governor to win something that many thought would never have a chance,” Mamdani added.”

“He also spoke about some of the other priorities that were central to his campaign in 2025, like expanding free child care, making public buses free in the city and opening government-run grocery stores.”

“In March, Hochul and Mamdani launched a free child care program for up to 2,000 2-year-olds in New York City, with plans to continue expanding the program over the next several years.”

““On Day 8 [of the term], we announced a $1.2 billion agreement with Gov. Kathy Hochul to put our city on the pathway to universal child care,” Mamdani said. “We are not only providing free child care for every 3-year-old in the city, we’re now doing it for 2-year-olds as well. By the end of our first term, we will see every single 2-year-old receiving free child care across the five boroughs of New York City.””

“Last week, the mayor also announced that his administration would open the first city-run grocery store in East Harlem, the start of fulfilling a campaign promise to open at least one such store in each of the city’s five boroughs.”

““We’ve always said that we would have one city-run grocery store in each borough and they would provide cheaper groceries, and we’re going to do that by guaranteeing it through a basket of essential items, the kinds of things that New Yorkers need from their grocery store, but they haven’t been able to budget for,” Mamdani told “Meet the Press.””

“Mamdani also blamed the war in Iran for prices continuing to rise in New York City and elsewhere.”

““While this war has exacerbated a cost-of-living crisis, that is a crisis that existed from even before the time I was running for mayor,” he said.”

“But the mayor said sometimes his friendly relationship with Trump can be helpful, like when he told the president about a Columbia University student, Elmina Aghayeva, who had been detained by the Department of Homeland Security in February.”

““Thirty minutes after the meeting, he called me and said he had now made the decision to release her. And so I think we see in those decisions the worth of a relationship that is both honest and direct,” he added.”

“One of the other key campaign promises Mamdani made last year was to institute free buses in the city, a proposal that has been stalled in part due to the city’s $5.4 billion budget deficit.”

““We’re working with Albany right now, and we’re still confident that there is a part of the budget that could start that process of making buses free. We have one bus route free in New York City right now. We’re excited at the prospect of building that out before we deliver it for every bus route,” the mayor told “Meet the Press.””

““I’ve always been hopeful of getting two terms, and I’ve always said to New Yorkers that we would accomplish everything with however much time that we get,” the mayor said.”

“He also fielded questions about the state of the Democratic Party nationally, but said he’s more focused on New York City and winning the midterms than what is going on with his party nationally.”