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At 100 days, Mamdani leans into ‘pothole politics’ and child care push
By
Catalina Gonella
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Brigid Bergin
Published Apr 12, 2026
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CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP via Getty Images
By
Catalina Gonella
and
Brigid Bergin
Published Apr 12, 2026
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Mayor Zohran Mamdani used his 100-day address Sunday to highlight early wins on child care and worker protections while laying out a governing philosophy he called “pothole politics," emphasizing the need to deliver both big promises and everyday fixes to rebuild trust in city government.
The 34-year-old mayor has set high expectations for his administration since his election in November, when he told New Yorkers they could expect “bold achievements” rather than excuses.
The speech, delivered on his 102nd day in office, marked his first major milestone as he sought to show what he has accomplished so far on campaign promises around child care, transit and workers’ rights amid early questions about how quickly those promises can be realized.
“Nothing is too big for New York City to take on. And over the past 14 weeks, we have proved that there is no task too small, either,” Mamdani said. “Because if government can’t do the small things, how could you ever trust it to do the big ones? How can we promise to transform our city if we can’t pave your street?”
Andrew Larin, 26, looks at a “100 Day Address Museum” display, including a Taco Bell bag referencing one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s early moments in office.
Brigid Bergin/Gothamist
A packed room and early reactions
Hundreds packed the massive Knockdown Center in Maspeth, Queens, with supporters lining up hours before the doors opened. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders from Vermont also appeared at the event after joining Mamdani at a labor rally earlier in the day.
Attendees were offered signs that read “childcare for all,” “N.Y.C. groceries,” “pothole politics” and “put a lid on it,” a reference to the mayor’s plan to expand trash containerization across all five boroughs.
In an area near the venue’s bar, the mayor’s team set up a “museum” highlighting what the administration considers its key accomplishments, including a map of city child care centers and a Taco Bell bag and Baja Blast referencing the administration’s push on behalf of fast food workers and small businesses.
In the crowd, Rhea Joseph, a 50-year-old project manager for NYC Health + Hospitals, said she would give Mamdani a “B” for his first 100 days.
“There is room to grow,” said Joseph, who traveled from Canarsie, Brooklyn, to attend the speech.
She said she’s watching to see whether the mayor can follow through on his push to tax wealthy residents and corporations, which depends on approval from state leaders.
“I know he has to speak with the governor,” she said.
But if he gets that done, she added, “He’ll get an A-plus.”
Rhea Joseph, 50, a project manager for NYC Health + Hospitals, attends Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s 100-day address in Queens.
Brigid Bergin/Gothamist
Child care, tenants and workers
Mamdani spotlighted the administration’s push toward affordable child care, including a $1.2 billion partnership with the state to achieve universal 3-K and expand free care for 2-year-olds. The program is set to launch in the fall with 2,000 seats.
“When young parents save more than $20,000 per year, per child, that is the change government can deliver,” he said.
The mayor also signaled his expectations for the city’s Rent Guidelines Board, noting that six of its members are his appointees and will decide whether to raise or freeze rents for roughly 2 million stabilized tenants.
He said he looked forward to their decision later this year, drawing cheers from the crowd.
‘Pothole politics’ and new proposals
Mamdani repeatedly returned to his “pothole politics” philosophy — the idea that fixing visible, everyday problems like potholes can improve quality of life and restore trust in government.
He also announced a series of initiatives, like the opening of five city-owned grocery stores, including one in East Harlem. It was a signature campaign promise, he said, adding that the remaining stores would open before the end of his term, one in each borough.
He said the city would also recommit to trash containerization, an effort that began under former Mayor Eric Adams but has yet to be fully implemented. Mamdani said there would be at least one fully containerized community district in each borough by the end of next year, with citywide containerization completed by 2031.
Earlier in the day, Mamdani also announced a plan to redesign 45 major bus corridors across the city, aiming to speed up trips by 20%.
A political milestone
The 100-day address has become a standard benchmark for new mayors.
Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg delivered his in 2002 at Goldman Sachs, emphasizing the city’s recovery after the Sept. 11 attacks. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio spoke from Cooper Union, while former Mayor Eric Adams marked the milestone as the city was emerging from the pandemic and he himself had just tested positive for COVID-19.
Tagged
Politics
new york city
Catalina Gonella
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Brigid Bergin
Brigid Bergin is an award-winning senior reporter on the People and Power desk. She is fiercely committed to telling stories that help people engage and support democracy. In 2022, she hosted a live, ten-week call-in politics show ahead of the midterm elections called The People's Guide to Power. Brigid's reporting in 2017 included some of the first coverage of a political newcomer now known as AOC. In 2016, she broke the news of a voter purge in Brooklyn just days before New York’s presidential primary, triggering city, state and federal investigations. Brigid also guest hosts The Brian Lehrer Show and All Of It. She graduated from the University at Albany and the CUNY Newmark School of Journalism. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 917-723-4719.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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