During a recent appearance on MSNBC’s “The Weekend,” Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic mayoral hopeful, surprisingly praised Rudy Giuliani, a Trump ally, for making the Staten Island Ferry free again. Mamdani, who is currently the frontrunner for the mayoral position, acknowledged Giuliani’s role in implementing free public transit on the ferry, a move that Mamdani sees as part of the history behind the push for free bus transit.
However, Mamdani’s praise for Giuliani only tells part of the story. The Staten Island Ferry service was initially free, but a 50 cent fare was introduced by then-Mayor David Dinkins in 1990 during a fiscal crisis. It was Giuliani who eliminated the fare for the ferries between Staten Island and lower Manhattan when he sought re-election in 1997.
While Giuliani’s decision regarding the ferry fare fell under the city Department of Transportation’s jurisdiction, Mamdani would require approval from the MTA, as well as potentially the state legislature and governor, to eliminate bus fares.
Mamdani also commended Dinkins for his promotion of the city as a “gorgeous mosaic” and highlighted Dinkins’ democratic socialist beliefs. Additionally, he praised former Mayor Mike Bloomberg for his managerial approach and expansion of green spaces, and acknowledged Bill de Blasio for implementing a universal pre-k program that eased financial burdens for working parents.
