New York City is a disaster. I’ve spent the worse part of two decades reporting on that.

Can the city get worse under Mamdani? Invariably. But just take a moment to consider the state of the city from one minor data point.

New York City public schools shed another 22,000 students this year, with enrollment plunging 2.4%, the steepest decline in four years, according to preliminary Department of Education data — and experts say this trend will only get worse under incoming Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.

There were 1,007,610 students in the 2020-2021 school year with a budget of $38 billion.

In 2023-2024, there were 912,064 students with a budget of $41 billion.

The NYC site boasts that per pupil spending is up from around $26,000 in 2020 to over $32,000 in 2025.

The more students leave the New York City public school system, the more the ‘per student’ spending will increase. But it’s not actually money being spent per student, but being directed to assorted consultants, union members and special interests. The fewer students, the more money.