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NEW YORK (AP) — On Sunday, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani marked a significant milestone, celebrating 100 days in office. He used this occasion to highlight his administration’s early successes and outline ambitious goals, emphasizing a steadfast commitment to the city’s working class.
Addressing a crowd shortly after reaching this pivotal point in his tenure, Mamdani reiterated his initial promise that City Hall would serve a singular mission: expanding the city’s inclusivity to benefit more residents each day.
“For 102 days, we’ve been dedicated to this mission,” he declared.
After showcasing his administration’s initial achievements, Mamdani introduced a series of new initiatives.
Foremost among them is a key campaign promise: the launch of city-operated grocery stores. He announced that the first store is slated to open next year, with plans for additional locations across each of the city’s five boroughs to be realized by the end of his term.
“At our stores, eggs will be cheaper. Bread will be cheaper. Grocery shopping will no longer be an unsolvable equation,” said Mamdani, a Democrat.
In addition, the mayor announced plans to expand the city’s covered trash bin program — “Say goodbye to black bags and say hello to the bins,” he said, vowing to spread the initiative citywide by the end of 2031.
And he reiterated his campaign promise to make buses faster and free of cost, saying he would move to speed up bus services along some routes. It remains unclear how he would make good on eliminating bus fares.
“Tonight, we’re delivering the fast, and we’re excited to keep working with Albany to deliver the free,” he said, referencing the governor and the state Legislature, which hold considerable sway over parts of his agenda.
Before Mamdani spoke, the crowd heard from a city transportation department staffer to hear about Mamdani’s pothole filling blitz; a tenant organizer who praised the mayor’s focus on renters; and a mother who boosted his push to expand child care programs in the city.
“No longer will city government be afraid of its own shadow,” Mamdani told the crowd shortly after taking the stage. “If anyone should be afraid it is those who take advantage of working people.”
Mamdani, 34, took office in January after a campaign centered on making New York City a more affordable place to live, centering his agenda on refocusing the vast power of government toward helping the city’s struggling working class.