Mamdani’s Budget Betrayal | Albany News

New York City just passed a $125.8 billion budget, but big promises like expanded rental aid got scaled back—showing just how tight the city’s finances are. Mayor Mamdani, facing a massive deficit, ditched his initial plan to grow the NYPD and instead boosted public transit discounts. While he campaigned on big spending, reality forced cuts—including shelving his free bus ride pledge. His progressive backers are disappointed, as his new fiscal conservatism clashes with his campaign promises. The rental assistance program, CityFHEPS, now gets a scaled-down $175 million package—with only $125 million ongoing—far less than advocates wanted. This budget buys time, but looming deficits and state aid dependence mean next year’s fight will be even tougher. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/d7a4db382c564d9d