He had “one” job.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has signed only one bill into law during his first 10 months in office, raising questions among critics about whether the millennial mayor is devoting more attention to social media fame than to the routine work of governing.
Mamdani, who turned 35 on Sunday, signed legislation in August permitting outdoor dining on city sidewalks year-round. So far, however, that remains the only City Council bill he has formally approved, while nearly 100 others have remained on his desk since January.
The rest of the bills passed during Mamdani’s administration became law through a process known as “returned unsigned.” Under that procedure, legislation automatically takes effect when the mayor neither signs nor vetoes it within four weeks of reaching his desk.
At the same time, the social media-savvy socialist mayor frequently appears in a steady stream of polished TikTok videos, leading City Hall insiders to question his priorities.
“The mayor and his team are obsessed with becoming a content farm, often delaying or can-kicking boring governmental meetings so the mayor and his staff can hold pitch sessions for social media videos,” a source who frequently works with City Hall told The Post.
“The mayor gets pitched comedy sketches more than Lorne Michaels,” the source added. “There are lots of laughs, and there is very little work.”
Mamdani’s signing record is well behind those of his three most recent predecessors. At the same point in their terms, former Mayor Eric Adams had signed 30 laws, Bill de Blasio had signed 47 and Mike Bloomberg had signed 28.
Although the returned-unsigned process has resulted in laws taking effect during Mamdani’s tenure, its widespread use is unusual. Mayors generally rely on the procedure to signal opposition to legislation or to avoid being publicly tied to a measure they expect would survive a veto override.
Mamdani, however, has left unsigned several bills that closely align with his progressive agenda. One example is a measure overwhelmingly approved by the council requiring schools and city-owned buildings to display sanctuary rules barring cooperation with ICE.
The bill was introduced in February, just two months into Mamdani’s term. Yet when he had the opportunity to sign it for socialist ally Alexa Aviles in June, he allowed it to sit unsigned for four weeks before it automatically became law.
Dozens of other measures enacted under Mamdani have followed the same path, even as the mayor continues to appear personally in his social media content. He took part in two sketches Monday, two Saturday and two more Thursday.
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Several of those online appearances generated major headlines while significant legislation waited on the mayor’s desk for his signature.
That was the case in July, when Mamdani drew widespread attention by calling Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu a “war criminal” and saying he had explored every avenue for New York City police to arrest him.
At the time, unsigned bills awaiting action included a measure requiring wellness checks for elderly New Yorkers when temperatures exceed 95 degrees, legislation expanding free childcare programs as part of a key Mamdani initiative and a bill creating a rent-assistance program.
Even some people inside City Hall remain puzzled about why Mamdani has not signed measures that reflect his own policy interests, while others have speculated that his allies are likely frustrated by the approach.
“It is a little bit weird. It gives the impression that enough attention is being paid or they disagree, but they don’t. I haven’t seen anything he’s disagreed” former City Council member Diana Ayala said. “Those are his initiatives.”
“It would be nice to elevate their initiatives,” Ayala said of council members whose legislation Mamdani has left unsigned. “It shows goodwill and that they are in alignment on specific issues.”
Others said the reason for Mamdani’s apparent snubs is more straightforward: He favors high-profile executive orders and visually appealing moments that are more likely to perform well on social media.
“It’s easier to govern by TikTok than to actually perform the duties of the job,” a former City Hall staffer said.
“They haven’t found a way to make this into compelling social media content,†added a former Bloomberg staffer.
Another City Hall insider called the behavior “lazy government.”
“It’s lazy in two ways — one is you are not taking a stand, easier to do nothing than figure out where you stand on something,” they said. “And lazy from a practical perspective — you can’t focus City Hall staff to hold the hearings, write the briefings and execute the bill signings.”
City Hall did not respond to a request for comment.
