Photo: TIMOTHY A.CLARY / AFP / Getty Images
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani says the city is back on its feet following the Blizzard of 2026, crediting the work of sanitation workers and city staff for the recovery — but his decisions during and after the storm have drawn both praise and sharp criticism.
At a Tuesday afternoon news conference, the mayor defended his choice to reopen schools the day after the blizzard dropped 20 inches or more of snow across the city's five boroughs. According to NBC New York, some officials questioned why the return to in-person learning happened so quickly, but Mamdani stood firmly behind his call.
The mayor offered two reasons for his decision. "First, New York's public schools were not in a position to facilitate remote instruction," he said. "With students coming back from midwinter break, it was not possible to ensure every student had the devices they needed to effectively participate in remote learning."
Mamdani also stressed that schools serve a purpose far beyond education. "Our public schools hold a purpose beyond providing a designated place for kids to learn," he said. "They are critical to the health and wellness of nearly 900,000 children across our city — whether it's a warm meal, essential mental health support, or a source of child care for working parents."
Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella had been among the loudest critics of the quick school reopening, warning on Monday that "numerous roads are impassable" due to lingering snow. Staten Island recorded some of the highest snow totals in the city. By Tuesday, however, Fossella said city officials had agreed to more than double the number of sanitation workers and equipment assigned to the borough. Mamdani confirmed the New York City Department of Sanitation brought in 210 extra workers, bringing the total DSNY workforce on the island to 500.
"The City has agreed to meet with us in the future to identify where things could have gone better these past two storms," Fossella said in a statement. "It seems the City is learning that one size does not indeed fit all. There is still much work to be done — we are beginning to chart a path forward to make sure that future storms are met with an adequate response."
Despite schools reopening, Tuesday's attendance was noticeably thin. More than a third of students were absent across the city. About 12,000 of the roughly 78,800 teachers — around 15% — also called out, with approximately 5,000 substitutes filling in. The teachers' union had advised its members to "make the decision that is best for you and your family. Your safety comes first." Of the roughly 150,000 students who use school buses, only 78 complaints were filed and just 15 delays were reported across the city's 8,000 bus routes.
Separately, Mamdani faced online ridicule over the weekend after his administration launched an emergency snow shoveler program that required applicants to bring multiple forms of identification. According to The National News Desk, the New York City Sanitation Department asked applicants to bring two forms of ID, copies of those documents, and a Social Security card — totaling no fewer than five forms of ID, according to the New York Post.
House Republicans seized on the policy, mocking the mayor on X. "Let's get this straight: in Zohran Mamdani's socialist utopia, it takes 2 forms of ID to shovel snow, but no ID to vote," the House Republicans account wrote. Indiana GOP Representative Marlin Stutzman also criticized Mamdani, calling it hypocritical that the mayor "opposes the SAVE America Act for requiring ID at the polls — but sees nothing excessive about requiring proof of citizenship and multiple forms of ID to volunteer part-time shoveling snow."
As cleanup efforts continue across all five boroughs, city officials say they expect the recovery to proceed through the rest of the week.
Photo Credit: Getty Images