6 Zohran Mamdani Campaign Promises That New York City Can't Afford

Zohran Mamdani has won New York City's mayoral election. The self-described democratic socialist has promised New Yorkers a cornucopia of policies, programs, and services. There's ample reason to believe that his plans will backfire and that New York taxpayers won't be able to cash the checks that Mamdani is writing on their behalf: • Freezing the rent: Mamdani's signature campaign promise was to freeze the rent for more than 2 million tenants living in rent-controlled housing. But the city's cost of living has grown unabated despite decades of rent control—which, coupled with restrictive zoning, has made the city's housing shortage worse. • $30 minimum wage: There's good reason for New Yorkers to be skeptical of Mamdani's plan to raise the minimum wage. When the city raised the minimu