The top of the nationwide union representing 41,000 New York transit employees is giving a lift to lefty mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani — by touting the democratic socialist’s proposed fare-free bus program.
Transport Employees Union president John Samuelsen insisted his shock presence at a Mamdani rally Saturday evening is just not an official endorsement of his marketing campaign — only a nod to the Astoria assemblyman’s free bus plan.
Nonetheless, his presence on the marketing campaign occasion, which additionally included official Mamdani backers Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and state Sen. John Liu, didn’t go unnoticed.
“Zohran has collaborated with me on the fare-free bus initiative. He advanced the union’s position of fare-free buses,” Samuelsen informed The Put up, when requested about attending the Mamdani rally.
“Fare-free businesses should be the future. It would drive up bus and subway ridership and be an economic engine,” stated Samuelsen, who headed TWU Native 100 earlier than turning into the nationwide TWU president.
With out the disputes over fare beating, free bus service would dramatically scale back assaults on bus drivers, he added.
Nevertheless, the mayor doesn’t set fare coverage. The state-run Metropolitan Transportation Authority does, although the mayor appoints some members to the MTA board.
The governor exerts extra management over the MTA by extra appointments, together with the chairman/CEO.
Mamdani’s marketing campaign stated it’d price at the very least $630 million a yr to switch the fare income introduced in from the town’s bus riders.
He claims the town may cowl the loss in fare income by a 2% tax hike on metropolis residents making $1 million or extra a yr, which might require approval from the state Legislature in Albany.
The Mamdani marketing campaign estimates the tax bundle would usher in $10 billion a yr.
TWU Native 100 has not endorsed within the Democratic major for mayor.
In 2021, the union endorsed Mayor Eric Adams, and Samuelsen famous Adams has supporters throughout the TWU Native 100.
Adams skipped the Democratic major and is operating on an impartial poll line within the basic election.
