DR. JACK MINTZ
President’s Fellow at the School of Public Policy,
University of Calgary

New York City mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani is leading in the polls with an affordability agenda that promises expanded free public services – including social housing, rent freezes, free childcare, and public transit subsidies – funded by higher taxes on corporations and high-income individuals. While supporters highlight these measures as solutions to the city’s high cost of living, critics warn they could strain the economy, reduce housing supply, and create unintended challenges in service delivery, raising questions about the long-term sustainability of “free” programs.

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