Aside from Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger, the Democrats pushing Zohran Mamdani may be one of the greatest political bait-and-switches of all time. Mamdani ran on making things free and affordable, which many of us warned was a lie throughout the campaign, and now New Yorkers are learning the hard way that all that "free" stuff costs a lot of money.
Just days after Mamdani was sworn in, fares on NYC subway rides went up. That, of course, is because the mayor has no authority to manage subway fares. Now Mamdani is eying ending any free parking in the city to close a $5.4 billion budget shortfall.
Mamdani admin. to consider eliminating free parking as NYC grapples with $5.4B shortfall https://t.co/01rJkVOzN1 pic.twitter.com/XXfwFJ9WKc
— New York Post (@nypost) March 8, 2026
Here's more:
Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration will be considering converting the city’s free on-street parking areas to metered parking as the Big Apple grapples with a $5.4 billion budget gap fueled by Hizzoner’s socialist programs.
First Deputy Mayor Dean Fuleihan said last week that the controversial policy proposal “needs to be discussed” when asked whether charging for currently free parking or instituting “dynamic pricing” that changes according to demand could help close the shortfall.
“Yes, we should be looking at all those things,’ Fuleihan said at Thursday’s CityLaw breakfast event.
“But it’s not going to address the $5.4 billion problem,” he acknowledged.
The problem is not that the city doesn't tax people enough. The problem is that it spends too much. This includes the millions Mamdani plans to spend on DEI-oriented government offices, including $5.6M for the Office of Racial Equity, $4.6M for the Commission on Racial Equity, $835,000 for the Commission on Gender Equity, more than $260,000 for the Department of Education's Chief Diversity Officer, $300,000 for three FDNY Civilian Chief Diversity Inclusion Officers, and $118,000 for the FDNY Chief Diversity Inclusion Officer.
why would you need free parking when you have free buses?
— Sean Spicier - Former Tango Dancer (Parody) (@sean_spicier) March 9, 2026
It's better for the environment, after all.
If all New Yorkers would simply give Mamdani all of their money, he could then tell them exactly how much things would cost them moving forward.
— G (@TCC_Grouchy) March 8, 2026
That's the endgame, of course.
But he’s giving free kid car seats to
— Crazy Rolls On (@Dragontail110) March 8, 2026
and free daycare. Where does that money come from.
Taxing billionaires. Or something.
Chef’s kiss 🤌 https://t.co/p5EpmnNtTJ
— Carol Roth (@caroljsroth) March 8, 2026
It truly is a *chef's kiss* isn't it?
What are the odds that a socialist’s utopian promises would in fact result in more suffering for the very people who purports to serve? https://t.co/OwSPoMduVj
— Sunny (@sunnyright) March 8, 2026
What are the odds.
New Yorkers voted for this. https://t.co/NSGlwxvTnz
— Pradheep J. Shanker, M.D. (@neoavatara) March 8, 2026
They sure did.
He’s gotta fund childcare for illegals somehow. https://t.co/AlYdP00ccE
— Sarah Sizzle (@sizzle_sarah) March 8, 2026
Yes, he does. Mamdani's priorities are anything and everything but the people of New York.