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Zohran Mamdani

DEMOCRAT

Zohran Mamdani is running for New York City Mayor, Democratic Primary.

Personal background

Zohran has a bachelor's degree from Bowdoin College. He was born in Uganda and raised in New York City.

Professional background

Before taking public office, Zohran worked as a housing counselor focused on preventing foreclosures. He also performed as a rapper and hip-hop artist.

Political background

Zohran Mamdani is a representative for New York's 36th State Assembly District located in Queens. He was elected in 2021 and is serving his third term.

Economy

Plans to create a network of city-owned grocery stores to reduce food costs for customers by avoiding rent and property taxes and partnering with local neighborhoods on products and sourcing.

Plans to increase the minimum wage to $30/hour by 2030, with future increases tied to cost of living and productivity.

As an assembly member, introduced a bill that would end tax-exempt status for charities that provide money to illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

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Public Services

Proposes free "NYC Baby Baskets" for all new parents and guardians which includes items like diapers, baby wipes, nursing pads and a resource guide on the City’s newborn home visiting program, breastfeeding, and postpartum depression.

Plans to implement free childcare for New Yorkers aged 6 weeks to 5 years and increase wages for childcare workers to be equal with public school teachers.

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Education

Supports making the City University of New York (CUNY) tuition-free and investing in its infrastructure by taxing New York University (NYU) and Columbia University (Columbia).

Supports ending mayoral control of schools.

Plans to create car-free “School Streets” to improve safety, play, and reduce pollution for students.

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Transportation & Infrastructure

Supports eliminating parking minimums, which require mandatory minimum off-street parking in certain areas, saying the city needs more housing, not parking lots.

Supports encouraging growth around subway stations and public transit hubs to promote climate sustainability and accessibility.

Plans to make every city bus fare-free and faster by building priority lanes, expanding bus queue jump signals, and creating dedicated loading zones.

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Public Safety

Believes the NYPD should not be responsible for traffic enforcement or responding to mental health crises and homelessness.

Believes in prioritizing "prevention-first, community-based solutions" to improve safety, including investing in mental health services, reducing homelessness, addressing hate violence, and expanding gun violence prevention programs.

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Housing & Urban Development

Hopes to triple the City’s production of publicly subsidized, affordable, union-built, rent-stabilized homes, constructing 200,000 new units over the next 10 years by fast-tracking development that's "100% affordable."

Plans to double fines for landlords for "hazardous violations" like broken windows and water damage, triple fines for "immediately hazardous violations" such as vermin and lead paint, and ensure fines are collected to generate revenue for the city.

Plans to double the money spent on preserving public housing and fully fund and staff the city's housing agencies.

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Public Health

Plans to hire outreach workers to help New Yorkers navigate the healthcare system and access public resources related to insurance, financial assistance, and health benefits.

Plans to collaborate with healthcare unions and government partners to boost funding for Health + Hospitals (H+H) and prevent hospital closures.

Supports preparing for future public health emergencies by ensuring adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), surge capacity, healthcare worker safety, and maintaining programs like Test and Trace.

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Ethics & Conduct

As of March 31, 2025, Zohran Mamdani’s website did not contain information on this issue.

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