Mamdani, City Council Stall on $124.7 Billion Budget as $500 Million CityFHEPS Fight Deepens
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Jun 30
Mamdani, City Council Stall on $124.7 Billion Budget as $500 Million CityFHEPS Fight Deepens
3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Jun 30
Summary
No fiscal 2027 budget deal had been reached by Friday morning, and council members said talks could slip past the June deadline into the weekend or early next week.
The holdup is CityFHEPS: progressive lawmakers want at least $500 million in new annual funding and for Mamdani to drop an Adams-era lawsuit blocking a broader voucher expansion.
Mamdani has instead cited a large inherited deficit and, in his $124.7 billion executive budget, proposed cutting $500 million from CityFHEPS through administrative savings.
The standoff is straining ties with his left flank, with Progressive Caucus members threatening no votes and Speaker Julie Menin joining a public push for a significant expansion.
For Mamdani, the budget fight risks capping a politically successful June with a visible break from campaign promises on housing and friction with key allies.