Mamdani’s Free Childcare Plan Sparks Debate in Bronx Ahead of Election

Democratic candidate for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is positioned to win based on his 56 percent vote share in July’s primary, a contrast from greater Riverdale’s 33 percent vote. 

One of his proposed policies is expanding no-cost child care to include all New Yorkers ages 6 weeks to 5 years old and raising wages for childcare workers.

Currently, the city has universal pre-K, meaning every 4 year old is eligible. It also has publicly funded 3-K, but not all families are guaranteed a seat.

With the general election less than two months away, debate continues over how the policy would affect the northwest Bronx.

Annual costs for infant care range between $20,800 and $26,000, according to a 2024 report by the New York State Office and Children and Family Services. For toddlers, it runs from $18,200 to $23,400.

Prices have risen sharply. Since 2019, center-based toddler care is up 43 percent, and 79 percent for family day care. 

This may be manageable for high-earning families in the city. But in the Bronx — where the average household income is roughly $47,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau — it can be a hefty burden.

Greater Riverdale’s average income is higher at about $75,000, though over a third of residents earn less than $50,000. Some find themselves stuck in the middle, earning too much to qualify for federal aid and not enough to comfortably get by.

Yvette Cam, a Riverdale mother of a 4-year-old girl with special needs, falls in this gap. Finding a caregiver or a day care center with the right experience has been extremely difficult.

“Financially … as soon as you say special needs, it’s more money,” she said, adding the city does not help with some therapy programs her daughter needs. “I have to balance the payments I made to the caregiver or daycare … if all my money goes to that, my daughter doesn’t have any other therapy.”

Cam also said she wants another child, but would likely have to get a second job if that happens.

“I have to think very hard about logistics — how much I can pay, how much I can have, if I have to ask for help from family members,” she said. “It’s all very depressing at the end of the day because it becomes an extra task to coordinate … that’s emotionally stressful.”

Despite support for the no-cost childcare policy, Cam does not fully approve of the mayoral candidate, and does not plan to vote for him in November.

Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, has faced criticism from opponents for a platform described as unrealistic.

His proposals include rent freezes for stabilized tenants, free and faster buses, city-owned grocery stores and raising the minimum wage to $30 by 2030, among other initiatives that aim to decrease the cost of living.

To pay for changes, the plan is to raise the corporate tax rate, as well as tax the richest 1 percent of New Yorkers — those earning more than $1 million a year — an additional flat rate of 2 percent.

“I come from a country where I know what socialism is,” said Cam, who was born in Peru. “It sounds beautiful, but it never works.”

On social media, many residents expressed skepticism similar to Cam’s point of view. Several comments shared the same sentiment, “nothing is free.”

Though Mamdani said tax increases would target wealthy earners, some are concerned it would, at some point, come from their own pockets.

“If you keep raising taxes for the top 1 percent, then they will eventually leave the city and guess who will end up picking up the bill?” one commenter wrote.

Caroline Antonelli, a Riverdale mother to a 5 year old and a 2 year old, supports both the policy and the candidate. She pays just over $1,800 a month for child care.

“That’s money that could go towards buying a home,” she said. “Even if a proportion of that had to be paid in increased taxes, it would still be an improvement.”

For Antonelli, it is also a matter of accessibility. A population needs to be educated, and that needs to be equitable regardless of income or immigration status.

“When [politicians] propose ideas that seem radical, it basically brings it to the table as a conversation,” she said. “Once that conversation starts, it’s hard to stop … Eventually childcare should be something that is granted to taxpayers in New York City — across the board.”

The Day Care Council of New York, an organization which represents more than 200 centers and home-based providers, is also optimistic about the policy proposal.

“If you have the investment, and you have leadership who are committed to early childhood education, it’s something that can expand successfully,” said Gregory Brender, chief policy and innovation officer at the council.

He added that the system’s challenges are, in part, due to its not being universal. Providers spend significant time verifying families meet income, work and citizenship requirements so their children can receive care.

“Removing the barriers that make it harder for families to access childcare actually makes it easier for providers to focus on offering the highest quality of service,” Brender said.