MAMDANI’S FIRST 100 DAYS: Mayor and Governor align on public safety, diverge on key Democratic race

Tuesday, Jan. 6, marks the sixth day of Zohran Mamdani’s term as mayor. amNewYork is following Mamdani around his first 100 days in office as we closely track his progress on fulfilling campaign promises, appointing key leaders to government posts, and managing the city’s finances. Here’s a summary of what the mayor did today.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul appeared together Tuesday at One Police Plaza to present a united front on public safety, touting historic reductions in shootings, murders, and subway crime, even as political divisions surfaced with their split endorsements in a key Democratic congressional race.

Hochul officially endorsed Rep. Dan Goldman as he launched his reelection campaign for New York’s 10th congressional district the morning of the press conference, following Mamdani’s earlier endorsement of the incumbent’s challenger, former city comptroller Brad Lander, last month.

Speaking to reporters, Hochul described her working relationship with the new mayor in personal terms, saying, “He’s a nice guy,” before adding that the people of New York want leaders who can collaborate.

“I believe we can work out issues as we have been, even before the election,” she said.

She reflected on a legacy of conflict between city and state leaders in prior administrations, noting that turf battles and ego clashes never made New Yorkers safer. “I took that lesson to my last four years, and I worked with Bill de Blasio successfully for a few months. I worked with Eric Adams. I’m looking forward to working with Mayor Mamdani, because that’s who I am,” she said.

She added that her teams have been in close communication with the mayor’s office on city priorities and the upcoming budget, aiming to coordinate without creating public drama.

“Our teams have been talking non-stop. They’re embedded as we talk about the priorities of the city and our priorities and how we blend them together heading into our next budget and in our state of the state. So I feel very confident that New Yorkers will not get the drama that perhaps is only enjoyed by the press,” said Hochul. “We have work to do.”

Photo by Lloyd Mitchell

Mamdani campaigned on an ambitious affordability agenda, but turning those promises into reality will require cooperation and funding from Albany.

Governor Hochul, while broadly supportive of certain priorities, such as affordable childcare, has expressed skepticism about specific elements of Mamdani’s plan, including the elimination of MTA bus fares and the increase in income taxes on the city’s highest earners. Navigating these differences will be a key test of their working relationship.

At an unrelated press briefing, when asked about the split endorsements in the NY-10 Congressional race, Mayor Mamdani reaffirmed his support for Brad Lander.

“I am proud to support our former controller, Brad Lander, in his run for Congress,” Mamdani said. He praised Lander for his “honesty, sincerity, and the vision he has shared with New Yorkers at both a City Council and citywide level,” adding that in a moment when working-class New Yorkers are asking who will stand up for them, “I know the answer is Brad Lander as the next congressman.”

Mamdani did not comment further on Goldman or the possibility of a proxy battle within the Democratic Party.

Public safety: On the same page

One area of clear alignment for Mandani and Hochul is public safety and the work of the city’s top cop.

Commissioner Jessica Tisch opened Tuesday morning’s briefing by clarifying that she reports directly to Mamdani, addressing speculation over whether she had been demoted by one of the mayor’s first executive orders. Tisch emphasized that the transition in mayoral leadership has not altered the department’s approach to crime reduction.

“We are never satisfied and constantly looking for ways to refine our work,” Tisch said, highlighting how precision policing, targeted foot patrols, and specialized gang take-downs have contributed to historic reductions in shootings and other violent crime across the city.

She stressed that the NYPD’s priorities remain focused on serious crimes, while continuing to respond to quality-of-life issues, transit safety, and domestic violence. Tisch also noted that while every mayor she has worked under has had a different leadership style, all have been productive, and no changes to crime-fighting strategies are planned.

Mamdani reinforced that message during the briefing’s Q&A. He said he and Tisch are in constant communication and aligned on public safety priorities.

Regarding the proposed Department of Community Safety, Mamdani describes it as part of “a whole government approach” that would coordinate with the NYPD and report through the first deputy mayor. He stated that the department would play a crucial role in addressing citywide challenges, including the mental health crisis and homelessness.

“Part of this is also tackling the silos that have existed within city government,” he said, noting that multiple departments often work on similar issues in isolation. Mamdani emphasized that integrating these efforts, particularly in the context of addressing gun violence and managing crises, will be a crucial part of the city’s approach.

Photo by Lloyd Mitchell

Separately, on Tuesday, Mamdani signed an executive order extending the state of emergency at Rikers Island, while also directing city officials to develop a plan within 45 days to bring the jail complex back into compliance with safety regulations and Local Law 42, which effectively bans the use of solitary confinement.

Unlike previous mayoral extensions that repeatedly prioritized compliance over adherence to legal standards, Mamdani emphasized that this step is intended to be part of a transition toward meeting legal requirements rather than an open-ended delay.

The prolonged state of emergency, initially declared by former Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2021 and frequently renewed by Eric Adams, has allowed the Department of Correction to sidestep Board of Correction minimum standards, including provisions governing detainee rights and conditions. Mamdani said his order aims to end the pattern of last-minute, short-term renewals without a concrete plan for compliance, setting a Feb. 19 deadline for correction officials to present a roadmap.

“We know that solitary confinement is something that the public advocate and the City Council legislated years ago to bring an end to,” Mamdani told reporters, adding that prior administrations relied on repeated executive orders “to ensure that that never came to be.” He said his administration is now focused on developing a concrete plan to follow the law rather than continuing a cycle of short-term renewals without accountability.

When asked whether the order signals changes in leadership at the Department of Corrections or anticipation of a federal receiver, Mamdani said no personnel decisions have been made. “We haven’t made any additional personnel announcements at this time,” he said, emphasizing that the immediate priority is compliance, not staffing changes

His order also instructs the city’s Law Department to coordinate with the federal monitor in the Nuñez v. City of New York case to craft a strategy for enforcing the ban on solitary confinement “as soon as possible.”

Transit: Bump in the road

Later in the afternoon, Mamdani held a press conference at the Williamsburg Bridge with Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn to discuss infrastructure and safety improvements for cyclists and pedestrians.

As part of immediate safety measures, Mamdani personally helped city workers smooth over a small but jarring bike lane bump on Delancey Street at the foot of the bridge — a drop that often forced cyclists to brake sharply or risk catching air before landing.

“The feedback from New Yorkers has been clear: they want to feel safe getting around the city,” Mamdani said, highlighting the bridge’s 8,600 daily cyclists and noting that small fixes can have a major impact on daily commutes.

He emphasized the city’s $70 million plan to comprehensively redesign Delancey Street and the bridge landing, creating more rational bike routes, safer pedestrian access, improved streetscapes, and bike connections extending to the Bowery.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani throws asphalt on the newly renovated bike ramp off of the Williamsburg Bridge onto Delancey Street on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026.Photo by Lloyd Mitchell

On questions about criminal summonses for cyclists, Mamdani said the administration is reviewing current enforcement policies. “We have created infrastructure issues for cyclists that we are then ticketing them for, where it is easier to be out of compliance than in compliance,” he said.

He added that the city aims to implement common-sense infrastructure changes to make it easier for cyclists to navigate the city safely and legally.

Mamdani also touched on Citi Bike, acknowledging rising fees and accessibility concerns. “We want to incentivize people biking across the city. We don’t want it to be something they are doing in spite of everything they are facing,” he said, noting that the city would explore ways to make bike-sharing safer and more affordable.

Appointments: FDNY Commissioner takes oath

Fire Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore is sworn in on Jan. 6, 2026.Photo by Lloyd Mitchell

Mayor Mamdani then moved to FDNY Headquarters in Downtown Brooklyn to swear in Lillian Bonsignore as the city’s 37th fire commissioner, returning a longtime department leader to oversee one of the nation’s largest emergency response agencies.

Bonsignore, a 31-year FDNY veteran and former Chief of EMS Operations, now leads a department of more than 11,000 firefighters, 4,500 EMTs and paramedics, and over 2,000 civilian employees. She retired from the FDNY in 2022 and has since worked as a public speaker and emergency medical services consultant.

“I have appointed Lillian to this role not solely for her wealth of experience or her vision,” Mamdani said, “but because of the respect she holds for this work and all those who do it.”

Mamdani cited former FDNY Commissioner Edward Croker, who once described firefighting as a “noble calling,” and said Bonsignore’s leadership comes at a moment of change and challenge for the department.

“There are few in this city, and indeed in this nation, better equipped to lead the FDNY,” Mamdani said, pointing to Bonsignore’s leadership during the Sept. 11 attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic, when the department faced historically high emergency call volumes.

Photo by Lloyd Mitchell

Bonsignore was sworn in with her wife holding the Bible as she took the oath of office. In her remarks, Bonsignore described the appointment as a “profound sense of coming home,” noting that she spent 31 years in the FDNY.

“To lead this department is the greatest honor of my life,” she said. “But I do not mistake this ceremony for an achievement. It is a deeper commitment to those who do the work.”

She emphasized the role of the department’s civilian workforce, including dispatchers, mechanics, fire inspectors and administrative staff.

“Without the shops, the rigs don’t roll. Without the dispatchers, the help doesn’t come,” Bonsignore said.

She noted that 2026 marks 25 years since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, calling it a “poignant moment” for the department and pledging to honor those lost by maintaining the FDNY as the “gold standard of service.”

Bonsignore described the FDNY as “one department with two heartbeats,” referring to fire and EMS operations.

“Whether you are stretching a line into a burning building or performing a lifesaving intubation on a crowded sidewalk, the mission is identical,” she said. “We protect lives.”

Outlining her leadership approach, Bonsignore said a commissioner’s greatest responsibility is empowering those on the front lines.

“My job is to ensure that those hands have the training, the resources, and the unwavering support they deserve,” she said.

She pledged to work with City Hall, labor unions, and elected officials and promised FDNY members, “I will manage the politics so you can manage the emergencies.”

“To the people of New York,” Bonsignore said, “when you see the red lights and hear the sirens, know that you’re seeing the finest professional service the world has ever known.”

Mamdani, now in his first week in office, said he has already seen FDNY members respond to major incidents, calling their work an honor to witness.

Bonsignore said she is ready to begin immediately. “I’m ready to get to work,” she said, “not from a pedestal, but from the side of those who serve.”