Gov Hochul (left ) and Mayor Zohran Mamdani (Proper) visited a number of pre-schoolers at a YMCA in Flatbush, Brooklyn on Thursday, January 8.
Photograph by Lloyd Mitchell
Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s plan to make metropolis buses free is not going to be a part of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s upcoming State of the State deal with subsequent week, the state’s prime government revealed on Thursday.
Throughout a Jan. 8 TV interview, Hochul stated she doesn’t plan to incorporate Mamdani’s proposal, one of many central planks of his successful mayoral marketing campaign, in her deal with. Governors use the annual speech to put out their coverage agendas for the 12 months forward.
When requested by Pix11 host Dan Mannarino on Thursday whether or not fare-free buses would seem in her speech, the governor replied, “Not at this time.” However she additionally sought to emphasise that the proposal is under no circumstances off the desk.
“Nothing is a permanent ‘no,’ we’re having conversations,” Hochul stated.
Mamdani spokesperson Dora Pekec didn’t reply to requests for remark.
Neither Hochul nor Mamdani talked about the proposal throughout an occasion celebrating the one-year anniversary of congestion pricing on Monday.
Gov. Kathy Hochul (centrer) with Mayor Zohran Mamdani (proper) and MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber (left) at a press conferencing celebrating the one-year anniversary of congestion pricing. Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.Photograph by Lloyd Mitchell
Mike Gianaris, the state Senate’s Democratic deputy majority chief, who sponsored a pilot program at no cost buses on 5 traces in 2023, advised New York News the governor’s State of the State and government finances proposal are simply the “beginning of the prcoess, not the end.” He famous that Hochul supported the pilot program, which led to September 2024, after the state legislature declined to increase it.
“I don’t think this hard line that she holds, but it’s a process and it’s a negotiation, and it only begins the next couple of weeks, and it’ll take three or four months to figure out,” Gianaris stated of the state finances course of, which has an April 1 deadline that lawmakers typically blow previous.
Gianaris stated he wouldn’t be shocked if it takes a couple of session to make buses free citywide.
The governor made the remarks after standing with Mamdani in Brooklyn simply a few hours earlier to announce that the state will jump-start his push to implement common little one care. She dedicated to totally funding the primary two years of free pre-Ok for two,000 2-year-olds a 12 months within the metropolis.
Whereas Hochul has embraced Mamdani’s need to implement common little one care, she has been far much less dedicated to his fare-free buses proposal.
Mamdani’s workforce estimates it will price the state roughly $700 million yearly to get rid of bus fares.
State Senate Deputy Majority Chief Mike Gianaris.Photograph courtesy of NY state Senate
The mayor has pitched climbing taxes on companies to 11.5%, to be on par with New Jersey, and elevating earnings levies on millionaires by 2%, as a method of paying for his main agenda objects. His workforce says that collectively these taxes would elevate roughly $9 billion a 12 months.
Nonetheless, such a tax improve should be handed by means of the state legislature and signed by the governor. Though Meeting Speaker Carl Heastie has signaled assist for elevating taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers, Hochul stated that risk is off the desk through the Pix11 interview.
“I don’t think it makes sense to tax anyone, or the wealthy in particular, for just the sake of raising taxes,” stated Hochul, who’s operating for reelection this 12 months.
MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber, who leads the company that runs the town’s buses, has additionally forged doubt on the proposal. He has repeatedly stated such a dramatic change to how buses are funded should first be meticulously studied previous to implementation.
Lieber has additionally questioned making buses free for everybody, noting that he prefers concentrating on the profit to low-income New Yorkers, as an alternative of probably subsidizing fares for individuals who can afford to pay. He says he prefers the city-funded Truthful Fares program, which gives half-priced fares to these making 145% of the federal poverty degree.
The transit boss has additionally questioned Staff Mamdani’s price estimate for the proposal, noting he believes it will carry an annual price ticket nearer to $1 billion.
Advocates rally at no cost buses in NYC.Photograph by Lloyd Mitchell
But Danny Pearlstein, Riders Alliance’s director of coverage and communications, stated Mamdani could not want the state to fund the proposal in any case.
“Though the city will need MTA approval and possibly some legislation to facilitate the funding, in all likelihood, what we’re going to see is one or more new revenue sources based on city resources,” he stated.
Mamdani has advised previously that the town may elevate income to fund his priorities by reforming its contracting practices, hiring extra fiscal auditors, and amassing unpaid fines and charges.
Pearlstein additionally pointed to the potential of the town raking in additional funds by increasing metered parking and making a allow system.
