By: Jordan Baker

Gov. Kathy Hochul is signaling she’s ready to throw her weight behind a sweeping, taxpayer-funded universal child care program — and she’s betting that incoming Mayor Zohran Mamdani will exceed expectations, according to remarks reported by the NY Post.

Speaking Sunday on 77 WABC’s “Cats Roundtable,” Hochul struck an optimistic tone about the democratic socialist mayor-elect, telling listeners she believes Mamdani could surprise skeptics, the NY Post reported.

“I think he’s going to surprise a lot of people,” Hochul said, urging New Yorkers to give the incoming mayor a chance, according to the NY Post.

The governor, who is gearing up for a re-election bid in 2026, made clear there is significant policy overlap between her administration and Mamdani’s agenda — particularly on universal child care, a cornerstone of the mayor-elect’s platform, the NY Post reported.

Hochul said she enjoys a “good relationship” with Mamdani, noting that even former President Donald Trump has managed to maintain cordial ties with him despite political differences, according to the NY Post. She added that affordability and lowering the cost of living in New York City remain shared priorities.

“There’s an awful lot of alignment,” Hochul said, pointing specifically to child care as an area where the state and city could move together, the NY Post reported.

Mamdani has proposed a $6 billion “no-cost” child care plan covering all children from six weeks to five years old. The plan would be funded through higher taxes on corporations and the top 1% of earners, generating an estimated $9 billion, according to details cited by the NY Post.

Hochul confirmed she and Mamdani have already held multiple meetings — both personally and with staff — to map out a realistic path toward universal child care, the NY Post reported.

The governor echoed Mamdani’s argument that soaring child care costs are pushing young families out of the city and insisted a public child care system could actually benefit businesses.

“Employers in New York are really going to benefit when their own employees don’t have to stress about who’s taking care of their children,” Hochul said, calling the proposal a potential competitive advantage for New York companies, according to the NY Post.

Still, Hochul stopped short of explaining how such a massive expansion would be funded or whether it would apply statewide or only in New York City, the NY Post noted. While she has opposed raising income taxes, she has left the door open to higher corporate levies or other revenue sources. More details are expected in her 2026 State of the State address or upcoming budget proposal, the NY Post reported.

The governor also praised Mamdani’s decision to keep NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch in her post, reiterating her desire to work constructively with City Hall. Hochul said she worked closely with former mayors Eric Adams and Bill de Blasio and intends to do the same with Mamdani, according to the NY Post.