Wins, stumbles, and open questions after 60 days at the helm
Sixty Days Into the Mamdani Era: A First Assessment
Mayor Zohran Mamdani took office on January 1, 2026, with a mandate built on progressive promises: universal child care, affordable housing, tenant protections, free buses, and a different relationship between City Hall and the communities that have historically felt most excluded from its power. Two months in, the administration has accomplished some things, stumbled on others, and left a long list of promises at various stages of development.
Early Wins
The Pre-K and 3-K enrollment campaign was executed with genuine energy and reach, deploying a multilingual, cross-agency outreach effort that involved everyone from the mayor himself to a video with Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Whether it moved the needle on participation rates will be visible in enrollment data in the coming months. The Weeksville Heritage Center restoration was completed two months ahead of schedule, a logistical achievement that combined symbolic power with practical execution. The appointment of the administration’s team, while drawing some criticism for early representation gaps, has now filled most major positions with a blend of experienced city hall veterans and progressive movement figures. The retention of Jessica Tisch as police commissioner has provided continuity and credibility on public safety. The White House meeting produced at least one concrete result in a Columbia student’s release.
Early Stumbles
The school reopening decision after the February blizzard drew significant criticism, particularly from Staten Island. The controversy over Cea Weaver’s past statements about homeownership opened a front of criticism that the administration has managed rather than resolved. The budget rollout, while transparent about the city’s fiscal constraints, has put the mayor in a position of threatening policies, such as a property tax increase, that are unpopular with his own supporters. The NYPD snowball incident became a symbolic test that the police unions have framed as a failing, even if broader political observers see Mamdani’s restraint as defensible.
Open Questions
The biggest questions surrounding the administration are structural. Will Albany approve a millionaire’s tax, allowing the mayor to avoid a property tax increase? Will the Sunnyside Yards proposal move from White House conversation to actual federal commitment? Will the city’s early childhood education expansion build toward the universal child care system Mamdani promised? Can he maintain a functional relationship with law enforcement while pursuing budget and policing reforms that the unions oppose? The Citizens Budget Commission provides independent analysis of New York City’s fiscal decisions. The Mayor’s Office publishes a running record of the administration’s actions and announcements. Sixty days is not enough to render a verdict. But it is enough to see the shape of the challenges ahead.
