Morgan McKay: Well, Mr. Mayor. Thank you very much for being here.
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani: You’re very welcome.
McKay: So, as we can see, the stage is getting set up for the historic ticker-tape parade celebration for the Knicks. I hear that you are going to be having specially designed keys that you're going to give to the players tomorrow. Tell me more about it.
Mayor Mamdani: It's incredibly exciting. Those will be the first keys to the city that I've presented under our administration. And they are keys that have been designed for this moment. They carry the typography of the greatest living typologist in New York City, who helped to design not only what's being used at the 9-11 memorial, but also what is being used as the NYPD font, NYCFC — so much of what we know of as a city is going to be carried through in that and we're really excited to present it to the players.
McKay: Now, there will be heightened security at the parade, and I think most people celebrating the Knicks on Saturday celebrated in a respectful, joyous manner. But there were people who didn't, and there was some violence on Saturday night; more than 60 arrests just from the Knicks celebration. And I think that kind of gets lost a little bit in the conversation, because it's not just all the arrests on Saturday night across the five boroughs — it's just to do with the Knicks celebration. And there were also school busses lit on fire, a teenager being shot. Are you worried that things are going to get out of hand at the parade and what sort of security measures are you looking for?
Mayor Mamdani: I think it's — as you said — that while we saw the last majority of New Yorkers celebrate in a way that was both respectful, responsible and appropriate, frankly, we did see a select number who behaved in a way that was unacceptable. And I'm really appreciative for the men and women of the NYPD who kept our city safe over the course of this finals run, and they do so every day. And I've made clear over the course of this run and every day that I've had the opportunity to, that there is no room for this kind of violence, whether towards someone who's next to you or towards a police officer. And what we're looking forward to when it comes to the parade tomorrow is a parade of celebration, of joy and responsibility. And I am confident that will be the case. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. However, when I've told anyone that it will be until 10 a.m., they tell me they're going to be there at 5 a.m. And I understand that because everyone's been waiting a long time. The viewing pens will open at 6 a.m. And we're reminding every New Yorker that there's going to be screening. There's gonna be safety and security procedures. So, we advise everyone to not bring a bag, make sure you are coming and you are ready to go through that process and to be there to celebrate.
McKay: Now, as you know, Madison Square Garden owner James Dolan canceled the Knicks Game Four watch party outside MSG last week. Were you surprised that he did this, and have you had a conversation with him since?
Mayor Mamdani: Yeah, I've been in touch with Jim, and I would say that I'm less interested in relitigating the past and more about the fact of how we can work together to celebrate the moment of the city. And that is something that's bringing not just he and I together, but the entire five boroughs.
McKay: You’re not going to cancel school?
Mayor Mamdani: No.
McKay: The students across the five boroughs are pleading with you this week.
Mayor Mamdani: The youth vote — I'm not doing great with the youth vote right now.
McKay: You said earlier this week that you're going to attend three World Cup matches as part of an agreement with the New York and New Jersey Host Committee. What else is in that agreement, because I can't get my hands on it to save my life, but what else are you required to do as part of this agreement?
Mayor Mamdani: It is about facilitating this as an experience, not just for New Yorkers, but also for those who are visiting the city. So you can see a lot of the work that we're doing through our World Cup Czar as well as through additional agencies, whether it's ensuring that match-day travel is smooth, whether it is ensuring that the city is working together with each of the fan fests across the five boroughs, or it's ensuring that we are making clear to each and every person visiting the city the many things that they can do in the city. And so, we take those responsibilities very seriously because this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity and we're so excited to have people come to the city.
McKay: Is there anything else though that this committee is requiring you to do as a part of this agreement?
Mayor Mamdani: That about covers it, and I would also just say that when it comes to this tournament, it's less of something that I view as a responsibility or a burden. It's more of an opportunity. This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and it's not just for those visiting our city for the first time. Also, for New Yorkers, you know, many of us who grow up and we have a very specific understanding of our city. Then a moment like this comes, and we get to view the beauty and the breadth of our city in its totality. So, we have a program where we're offering a $26 meal deal for more than 900 restaurants across the five boroughs. If anyone is interested, they can go to NYC Tourism's website and they can find that list and that's a way for New Yorkers to also explore their own city.
McKay: Now, you recently approved to increase the NYPD's headcount. The headcount is 35,000 uniformed officers and it went over that cap by about 370 officers. We've seen some criticism from it — from the Democratic Socialists [of America] — but why is it so important to have these additional officers, especially as we're looking at this summer with the World Cup, the Knicks — which is sort of wrapping up now — but the possibility of a Taylor Swift wedding here in New York City. Tell us more about why this was needed.
Mayor Mamdani: You know, these are officers that are going to be added because of two specific reasons that were presented to me. And the first was the fact that within our NYPD, there isn't sustained training after an officer gets through the Academy. And this is a desire to ensure that training is a regular part of serving in this Department. And that's the bulk of these additional officers. The other is that when we looked at the Bronx, we found that the Bronx was being treated differently than Brooklyn, than Manhattan, than Queens. It had one Borough Command, whereas these other boroughs, with comparative levels of demand had two. And so, we made the decision to split that command into two, which increases response times and also puts it on parity with these other boroughs. And these are critical reasons of why we made this decision. And I also appreciate that the criticism that we receive, is criticism still coming from a place of wanting this to be the best possible city. And we appreciate that criticism. And this is why we make those decisions.
McKay: How is your relationship like with the police commissioner? Do you see it as a lasting partnership?
Mayor Mamdani: I see it as something that is fulfilling our mutual desire to deliver a safe city to New Yorkers. And I'm so proud of the results we've seen over these last six months, as we've seen crime drop to historic lows, and as we’ve seen this partnership be one that can deliver on that wish to ensure that the greatest city in the world is also going to be the safest city in the world.
McKay: Do you think you'll have the police commissioner stay on for the full four years of your term?
Mayor Mamdani: I think that we're working very well together right now and I'm excited to keep that going.
McKay: Now, you have two weeks before the city's budget is finalized, sort of. The state gave the city nearly $8 billion in assistance over the next few years. But Governor Hochul says this is it, and she's not going to be giving the city extra assistance next year. Would you take that to mean that she's going to not be doing the increased taxes on millionaires, for example? Is that something you're still going to be looking for?
Mayor Mamdani: I will always believe in the importance of having the wealthiest pay a little bit more in taxes so that everyone can afford a life in the city. And I'll tell you that my focus right now is on these next few weeks, as you said. It's not just finalizing the city budget. It's not just the parade tomorrow. It’s the World Cup. It's July 4. It's America 250. So, for me, that's the focus right now, but I look forward to starting the budget process for next year as we continue to advocate for our city.
McKay: Now, there's one item in the budget that's gotten some attention, the Office of Mass Engagement — which takes your campaign strategy of meeting people where they're at, at their homes, knocking on doors, canvassing — to get the message of the priorities of your administration out to regular people. But it has drawn some ethical concerns, and this office was supposed to have a budget of about $5 million and now that's grown to about more than $50 million. Why did that budget grow and why this year having such a budget with such a massive amount, more than $50 million, during a time when there is a budget crisis?
Mayor Mamdani: I would just correct the record, in the vast majority of that $50 million [are] pre-existing responsibilities prior to our administration. So that Office of Mass Engagement is also an umbrella office that brings in existing initiatives and work, like the Community Affairs Unit or Public Service Unit, and that work has to carry on because many New Yorkers have looked to those agencies as ways that they can interact with the city. In terms of what's new; we're talking about a much smaller percentage of that amount of money. And to your point, it's not just about sharing what the administration is doing. We want New Yorkers to be a part of that. So, we recently had a final hearing of the Rent Guidelines Board. As you know, the Rent Guidelines Board determines the rent increase or lack thereof for more than 2 million New Yorkers. Yet, last year, [fewer] than 1,000 New Yorkers — I think it was 4 or 500 — testified. The percentage of those who were impacted versus those who were involved is minuscule. And so, we wanted to knock on doors to let people know not how they should testify, but that they should. And that's one of the key jobs that they've been doing.
McKay: Now, next week, the Rent Guidelines Board will be deciding whether or not to implement a rent freeze, but according to the Board's own numbers, the 2026 Rent Guidelines Board Price Index, the total cost of maintaining a building has gone up by 5.3 percent. Do you think it's fair to landlords right now to freeze the rent? And if they do freeze the rent, would it be helping or finding ways to help landlords who maybe can't afford repairs?
Mayor Mamdani: Well, I think first, the Rent Guidelines Board is an independent board, and they'll make their independent decision. I’ve been clear that I do believe that tenants deserve relief, and also my belief in tackling the cost-of-living crisis is true for everyone. So, when I've spoken to landlords, especially for affordable housing, they've told me that one of the costs has skyrocketed in recent years, and that is their insurance. And one of the decisions we made in our executive budget was to invest more than $100 million in the next few years on creating a city-backed insurance fund that can decrease those costs for these kinds of landlords so that we can actually do the work of maintaining ownership of these buildings and the quality of habitation for those who are [their] tenants. And when it comes to the Board, they've found that, as you said on the cost, they've also found that revenues have increased for landlords, and I think they're balancing all of this as well as the testimonies.
McKay: Now, next Tuesday is also the primary, and you can endorse three congressional candidates — Brad Lander, Claire Valdez, and Darializa Avila Chevalier. But Chevalier has come under fire for past comments that she's made, calling to the abolish the police, criticizing the military, calling President Obama “evil,” calling President Biden a “rapist,” and a “war criminal.” She used profane language when describing other top democrats. She criticized interracial relationships, and she even took aim at Senator Bernie Sanders for quote, “liberal Zionism.” Sanders is throwing a rally for Chevalier tomorrow that you'll be attending. How do you reconcile the criticism and also helping campaign for her?
Mayor Mamdani: Well, I think first and foremost, I'm incredibly excited about her campaign as well as Claire's campaign and Brad's campaigns as campaigns that showcase the fact that the affordability agenda, the work of transforming the most expensive city in America into one that's affordable, can't be done alone. So many of the people who not just voted for me but canvassed for me did so with the hope of fulfilling this agenda and the knowledge that it would require partners at every level of government. These are the partners that would help to do that work. And when it comes to Darializa, you know, she recently was asked this question herself and she apologized for some of the remarks. She spoke about regret [for] the language that she used. I think she also showed the fact that her campaign is being run on what she is fighting for today and that is a message I think is resonating with many across her district.
McKay: She did make these comments. She did apologize yesterday on the debate stage. She made these comments when she was an adult — it was just about three or four years ago that she made these comments. I guess, where is the line? She made these comments last year. Was that too soon to run for Congress? Where is that line?
Mayor Mamdani: You know, I think the line for me is an acknowledgement and an affirmation of what you believe in in this moment and what you're fighting for. And too often in our politics, there isn't even a willingness to acknowledge that or even, you know, what we saw in her case, apologize for it. And I think that that reckons with how people feel and the willingness to be a leader that's also receptive to that.
McKay: Last question for you: You said at the beginning of the year that you're going to be getting a chef for Gracie Mansion that had a no-pork menu. Did you find a chef? What is that like? What's your relationship like with a chef? What do they make you for breakfast? I know Mayor Eric Adams likes his green smoothies. What does the chef make for you?
Mayor Mamdani: So, it is the same chef who's been at Gracie Mansion for many years. We don't have pork in our kitchen for what we eat. She's incredible. The team is incredible. And I think one of the beautiful things is having so many people around you who are making it easier for you to succeed in your work. It's what makes so much of this possible and I just appreciate what they do every single day.
McKay: What's your go-to breakfast?
Mayor Mamdani: Go-to breakfast? It's gotta be scrambled eggs. Some kind of avocados, tomatoes, a little bit of labneh.
McKay: Do they ever make you those green smoothies?
Mayor Mamdani: I have not asked.
McKay: I don't blame you. Thank you so much.
Mayor Mamdani: Thank you.
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