As the New York City mayoral election approaches this November, candidate Mamdani has openly reflected on the policies and governance style of Boston’s Mayor Michelle Wu, indicating a desire to replicate similar initiatives in New York.
Mamdani’s campaign points to Wu’s tenure as a model for his approach, prominently featuring his proposal to implement an additional income tax for millionaires in New York City, a move inspired by Massachusetts’s Fair Share Amendment, which voters approved in 2022.
At the heart of Mamdani’s campaign is his promise to eliminate fares—currently set at $2.90—on city buses.
Boston offers a relevant case study, as Mayor Wu launched a fare-free pilot program for select bus routes on her first full day in office in 2021.
With a budget request of $8 million, Wu aimed to lift fares on the 23, 28, and 29 bus routes that serve Mattapan, Roxbury, and Dorchester, utilizing federal relief funding from the pandemic.
This initiative, which began as a two-year pilot, has since demonstrated encouraging outcomes, with over 12 million trips recorded and around $6 million saved for riders, prompting an extension until next March at a monthly cost of $350,000.
However, the program has faced criticism for perceived inequities, with a report from the financially strained MBTA indicating that the pilot’s geographic focus may have done more harm than good.
The MBTA recommended a system-wide rollout as a possible solution, projecting costs between $72 million and $121 million annually.
In housing policy, Mamdani proposes a rent freeze on New York City’s rent-stabilized units, tapping into the ongoing conversation around housing affordability.
Despite a significant portion of New York City’s apartments being rent-stabilized, real estate realities make a rent freeze seem unlikely in Massachusetts, which witnessed a rejection of rent control in 1994.
Mayor Wu attempted to revive the conversation by proposing a plan that limited annual rent increases to no more than 6 percent, plus inflation, with a 10 percent cap maximum.
While this plan received initial Council approval, it ultimately stalled in the state legislature amidst backlash from real estate stakeholders who argued that it could deter housing development.
Josh Kraft, Wu’s main challenger in the mayoral race, has introduced an “opt-in rent control” model, offering landlords incentives in the form of tax breaks for compliance with an annual rent cap.
Kraft’s plan was met with support from City Council, positioning it as a less intrusive alternative to Wu’s proposed measures.
In 2022, the Massachusetts electorate passed the “millionaires tax,” introducing a 4 percent surcharge on income above $1 million.
Mamdani cites this initiative as a foundational example for his proposed 2 percent city income tax on similar earnings in New York City, anticipating it would generate $4 billion annually to support his policy objectives.
However, the imposition of such a tax could prove contentious, with supporters arguing it effectively channels funds toward critical state services while critics assert it might drive affluent residents away.
Some prominent figures, such as former Celtics player Grant Williams, have indicated that high taxation influenced their decisions to leave Massachusetts.
On the issue of childcare, Mamdani has advocated for universal no-cost childcare for children from 6 weeks to 5 years old, highlighting the significant financial challenges families face.
In Massachusetts, the state government has initiated efforts to strengthen the childcare sector, including a substantial allocation of $475 million for grants to providers and Governor Maura Healey’s initiative to promote free preschool access.
Wu has also emphasized the need for expanded early childhood education, establishing the Office of Early Childhood in 2022 to streamline access for families.
Yet, despite these initiatives, the demand for quality childcare continues to exceed available resources, with new subsidy vouchers frozen for over a year.
Mamdani’s most polarizing proposal involves the establishment of city-owned grocery stores exempt from rents and property taxes, aimed at alleviating food costs for residents.
While this idea lacks similar precedents in Massachusetts, examples including government-operated commissaries exist in niche markets, although they do not equate to large-scale grocery operations.
Boston Public Market, a nonprofit grocery initiative, has garnered public support, functioning without the need for base rent during financially challenging times.
Despite its success in attracting revenue, this venture is characterized more as a specialty market than the discount supermarket model proposed by Mamdani.
Neither Wu nor Kraft support the concept of city-run grocery stores; Wu asserts that alternative collaborative methods are more efficacious, referencing existing city initiatives designed to support local grocers.
In contrast, Kraft’s campaign has dismissed the proposal outright, labeling it as impractical and unfeasible.
As Mamdani prepares for the general election, he faces the challenge of translating these ambitious proposals into actions that resonate with New York City residents, all while navigating the political complexities illuminated by Boston’s experiences.
image source from：bostonglobe
