Washington Post Torches Zohran Mamdani’s Costly Free Bus Scheme for NYC

The Washington Post editorial board sharply criticized New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani over his proposal to make the city’s buses free of charge, calling the plan financially irresponsible and socially damaging, as reported by The New York Post.

In an editorial published Sunday, the board warned that Mamdani’s fare-elimination plan would mostly benefit “vagrants and drug addicts,” not working commuters.

“Vagrants and drug addicts would camp out all day on New York’s buses, especially in the winter,” the piece read. “Parents would grow afraid to let their children ride alone.”

Mamdani, a Democratic socialist and state assemblyman from Queens, has argued that his plan would make transportation more accessible for low-income New Yorkers. But the Post dismissed the idea as naïve and unsustainable, highlighting the estimated $800 million annual price tag.

The candidate attempted to downplay that cost, saying it was “$50 million less than what New York spent on the new Buffalo Bills stadium.” The editorial board responded sarcastically:

“Oh, is that all?”

The board also noted that Mamdani’s proposal includes expensive add-ons such as new loading zones, expanded bus lanes, and service upgrades across the city — projects that could drive costs even higher.

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“So add those costs onto the tab as well,” the board wrote, pointing out that similar efforts by Mayor Eric Adams stalled amid complaints about traffic congestion.

Citing other U.S. cities as examples, the editorial highlighted how fare-free transit programs have led to increased crime and vandalism. The Post referenced Portland, Oregon’s short-lived free transit experiment, which ended in 2012 after widespread public backlash.

It also pointed to Olympia, Washington, where a 2020 decision to eliminate bus fares resulted in higher sales taxes for residents, meaning “riders and non-riders alike shouldered the cost.”

“Quality inevitably declines when a service is offered for ‘free,’” the board wrote, suggesting the proposal would harm both safety and service reliability.

The op-ed marks the second major critique of Mamdani from the Post in recent months. In June, the paper’s editorial board called his campaign “bad” for New York and Democrats overall.

“New Yorkers should be worried that he would lead Gotham back to the bad old days of civic dysfunction, and Democrats should fear that he will discredit their next generation of party leaders, almost all of whom are better than this democratic socialist,” the earlier editorial stated.

The Post’s renewed criticism comes as the paper undergoes a major editorial shift.

Owner Jeff Bezos announced sweeping changes earlier this year, prompting several staff departures and the hiring of a small group of conservative columnists — a move viewed as an attempt to balance the outlet’s historically left-leaning tone.

Mamdani’s campaign has not issued a formal response to the Post’s latest rebuke.

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