Mayor Mamdani’s first move: free childcare for 40 lucky city employee kids. The actual cost? $10 million in construction and renovation.

[i]Photo above - if $549.99 seems pricey for a Lego replica of the new JP Morgan Chase headquarters, then don't ask about the $10 million daycare center for 40 city employee kids . . .[/i]

Set aside for a moment the question about whether NYC can afford free childcare for everyone living in the 7 boroughs. Maybe, provided Mayor Mamdani comes up with a smorgasbord of higher taxes on businesses and office workers, who don't then migrate to someplace less taxing. How fast they will flee is a matter of conjecture. JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, sometimes rumored to be a dark horse 2028 presidential candidate, says the exodus is already underway. Note, however that Dimon and Chase just moved into their swanky new $4 billion headquarters on Park Avenue and apparently have no plans to move out anytime soon. (see link below)

Free childcare is one of those things that instinctively sounds great. Like free public schools, free libraries, and free ambulance rides. Public schools are already re-imagining themselves as daycare centers. and as after school homework spaces.

But opening a new municipal building dedicated to preschool babysitting wasn't part of the campaign promise. Paying $10 million to rehab a vacant shell, for toddlers is going to blow some minds. That’s $250,000 construction cost per ankle biter.

There will be an additional annual expense of $2.3 million for day care workers' salaries, security staff, utilities, Legos and juice boxes. $58,000 a year per kid. That’s the same as a year’s tuition at Harvard ($59,000), which has its own football stadium and library. Does this help bring the problem into focus?

But this new Mamdani day care center is ONLY for kids of city employees. Since there are 350,000 city municipal workers, I imagine competition will be fierce for those few coveted spots. Probably something more sophisticated than a lottery will be needed to award crib space. I also assume that this $10 million renovation contract wasn't simply awarded to the low bidder, without any meddling by local politicians. This is NYC after all.

If the 99% of city workers who DO NOT get their kids enrolled at Mamdani’s Magic Moments Academy (not its real name) feel shortchanged, just think about the reaction from the millions of residents who DON’T work for the city government. "Wait, you said free day care for everyone. I saw your mayoral debate on WNYC TV and NBC."

New York's $58,000 daycare for elite city workers has the potential to become a fiasco rivalling “build a border wall and making Mexico pay for it”, and “universal healthcare that covers all preconditions and eliminates the federal budget deficit too.” Because voters will believe anything. Not only do we struggle due to our 5th grade reading comprehension, but also with basic math.

I’m just sayin’ . . .



https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/michael-goodwin-democrats-are-revving-up-to-raid-new-yorkers-pockets-for-freebies/ar-AA1ZRmSR?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=69ccf254c94545f9aa543960db1fc551&ei=40