Socialists are basically grifters and that's what Zohran Mamdani is. He came into office with a smile and a bunch of promises he had no possible way to deliver on because functions like raising taxes or rent freezes aren't done by the mayor. His basic strategy was sounding confident and relying on people's ignorance.
His plan for free buses isn't happening. His moronic rent freeze did happen but it's doing nothing for most renters in the city who just saw their average monthly rent hit an all time high. Of course that wasn't part of the Mamdani brochure.
He also promised free universal child care and wound up adding to the city's pre-K system by one year. So pre-Mamdani kids as young as three could get child care. He lowered the age to two. But according to people providing the care, the city hasn't been able to pay them anything yet for this new service. Instead, the city is asking them to take out loans.
Many early childhood centers have yet to receive funding to buy classroom furniture and basic supplies like pencils and paper, or to pay newly hired teachers and assistants. Without the money, several providers have warned parents that the centers will not open when school starts on Sept. 10.
Because of the delays, city officials had encouraged providers to apply for interest-free bridge loans from the city — not just for 2-K programs but also for 3-K and pre-K programs. But many of those who have applied for the loans say that money has not arrived either, forcing them to take out high-interest personal loans, borrow from relatives and drain their personal savings.
“Yes, they have a 2-K program, but they didn’t set up the infrastructure to make it work,” said Nurita Love, who operates four day care centers in the Bronx and will have four 2-K classes.
This is what you call failure. Nurita Love put a reverse mortgage on her house so she could continue paying her employees. She's hoping the city eventually comes through with the funds. But, generally speaking, day care providers say this is the worst mess they can ever recall.
...in interviews with 18 day care owners and administrators, none said they could recall ever being in such a precarious state. Several day care centers have closed in recent weeks. At some sites, employees have not been paid in a month or longer.
Day care owners added that the Department of Education was hard to reach, often failing to return calls and emails about funding or the bridge loans.
Some day care operators refuse to bail the city out using their own funds.
Theresa Hyland, who operates Little Tots Red Wagon, a preschool in Queens that is slated to run a 2-K classroom of 12, said that an Education Department official told her Wednesday that she would have to cover the estimated $90,000 in upfront costs for the class and submit receipts for reimbursement later. Ms. Hyland also said she could not register the students in the department’s internal system.
“I have bailed them out before, but I am not doing it again,” she said of the department, and added that the center would not open if city funding didn’t arrive soon. “It’s an absolute disaster.”
While the day care owners decide whether or not to open in 10 days, the city's various departments are sniping at one another. This is always a sign of great leadership.
Education department officials have told day care owners that the payments cannot be disbursed until their annual contracts are registered by the Office of the City Comptroller. But the comptroller’s office said the Education Department must first share the contracts for them to be registered.
None of the providers contacted by The New York Times said that their contracts had been registered. The comptroller’s office said that no contracts for the 2-K program had been shared with it.
“The start of the school year is not an unexpected event,” Mark Levine, the city comptroller, said in a statement. “This needs to be fixed immediately.”
If I could have my way, every person who calls to find out what the city is doing to their business taking care of children would just get texted a photo of Mamdani's grinning face. No answers or explanation, just this.
This is the least authentic smile on Planet Earth and I can't believe millions of people fell for it.
— 𝐍𝐢𝐨𝐡 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐠 🇮🇷 ✡︎ (@NiohBerg) April 29, 2026
Mamdani is a political used car salesman
Good luck with your Ugandan communist who has already run out of your money, New York City. Everyone tried to warn you. pic.twitter.com/WT7zmrf4RD
It turns out that electing a guy whose only job experience outside of politics was working for his mom might not have been the best idea. But, hey, look at that grin. I'm sure it will all be fine.
Editor’s Note: New York City is now facing the consequences of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s socialist takeover.
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