On Tuesday, March 3, city officials admitted that taxpayers will be paying over $36,000 per child for Mayor Mamdani’s free 2-K pilot program.
Governor Ho Chu allocated $73 million in state government funding for this pilot program, which will have 2,000 spots available, averaging about $36,500 per child.
However, according to a report released last year by the New York City Comptroller’s Office, the average cost of daycare center payments in New York City in 2024 was about $23,400 per family, while the 2025 report showed that the average cost of infant and toddler center-based care was $26,000 per year.
City officials did not explain why the cost of the free 2-year-old childcare program is higher than the cost of private infant and toddler care.
By 2027, with the opening of 12,000 2-K spots citywide, the cost of this program will skyrocket to $425 million, with the state government bearing this cost alone. Governor Ho Chu stated that this funding will come from current tax revenues.
In summary, the government’s decision to fund Mayor Mamdani’s free 2-K pilot program at a cost of over $36,000 per child has raised concerns, especially considering that the average costs for daycare and childcare services in the city are significantly lower. The lack of transparency in explaining the discrepancy in costs between the public program and private care services has also fueled debates about the allocation of taxpayer money. With plans to expand the program further in the coming years, the financial burden on taxpayers is expected to increase significantly, prompting calls for a more detailed breakdown of expenses and a reassessment of funding priorities in early childhood education.