January 22, 2026 NEW YORK, NY Three weeks. That is all it took for Mayor Zohran Mamdani to start swinging at the "deceptive" practices he claims are bleeding New Yorkers—and tourists—dry.
Wednesday marked Day 21 of the Mamdani era, and the new Mayor isn't just settling into City Hall; he’s trying to rewrite the city's price tags. From a high-stakes crackdown on "junk fees" at the Whitney Museum to addressing a chilling hate crime in Brooklyn, here is everything that went down on a packed Wednesday in the five boroughs.
1. The End of the "Surprise" Hotel Bill
If you’ve ever checked out of an NYC hotel only to find a "resort fee" or "facility charge" you never agreed to, Mamdani says: No more.
Flanked by labor leaders and consumer advocates, the Mayor announced a sweeping new rule targeting "junk fees" and predatory credit card holds. This isn't just a slap on the wrist—it categorizes unclear pricing as a deceptive trade practice, giving the city teeth to bite back against hotels that hide the true cost of a stay.
"In just three weeks, our administration has made it clear that deceptive business practices do not have a home here," Mamdani declared.
With the 2026 World Cup looming on the horizon, the city is racing to clean up its reputation for price-gouging before the world arrives.
2. "No Place in Our City": Standing Against Hate
The afternoon took a somber turn as the Mayor addressed a disturbing discovery in Borough Park, Brooklyn. Residents woke up to find swastikas and the name "Adolf Hitler" scrawled in their neighborhood.
Mamdani didn't mince words, stating he was "sickened" by the vandalism. While data shows a slight 3% dip in antisemitic incidents over the last year, the Mayor acknowledged a grim reality: Jewish New Yorkers remain disproportionately targeted by hate. The NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force is currently hunting for the culprits.
3. The $10 Billion Elephant in the Room
While Mamdani is winning fans with "free bus" promises and fee crackdowns, a storm is brewing in Albany.
