Business Leaders Urge Mayor de Blasio to Stop New York City’s Decline
Letter cites public safety and quality-of-life issues; mayor reiterates need for borrowing authority, stimulus
By Katie Honan and Ben Chapman
https://www.wsj.com/articles/busine...u24pzq1o1lldn5f&reflink=article_copyURL_share
Updated Sept. 11, 2020 8:25 am ET
More than 160 business leaders, including executives at Citigroup Inc., Mastercard Inc. and Nasdaq Inc., have signed a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio warning of New York City’s deteriorating condition in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and growing anxiety over public safety, cleanliness and other quality-of-life issues.
In a letter sent Thursday, the leaders said the pandemic has devastated the city’s economy, causing high levels of unemployment. They urged the Democratic mayor to restore essential services that have been cut from the budget that he and the New York City Council recently approved.
The budget reduced or eliminated services like garbage pickups and graffiti removal, as well as shifted nearly $1 billion in funding away from the New York Police Department. The city still faces a $9 billion deficit over the next two years and may have to lay off 22,000 government workers in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, the city has seen a surge in violent crimes and thefts over the summer as officials loosened restrictions to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
For the four-week period that ended Sunday, the city recorded 55 homicides, up 49% from 37 in the same period last year, according to NYPD data. The city also had 222 shooting incidents during those four weeks, more than double the 90 shootings a year earlier.
“We need to send a strong, consistent message that our employees, customers, clients and visitors will be coming back to a safe and healthy work environment,” the business leaders’ letter said. “People will be slow to return unless their concerns about security and the livability of our communities are addressed quickly and with respect and fairness for our city’s diverse populations.”
Mr. de Blasio said in a statement he was grateful for the city’s business community. But state lawmakers must approve borrowing authority for the city so it can close a budget gap and restore services, he added.
“Let’s be clear: To restore city services and save jobs, we need long term borrowing and a federal stimulus—we need these leaders to join the fight to move the city forward,” he said.
Mr. de Blasio has asked for the borrowing power since May, but the state Legislature so far hasn’t acted on his request.
The city was once one of the hardest hit parts of the country by the virus. More than 23,000 New Yorkers have died from Covid-19, including probable deaths.
The city has driven down its infection rate to a low level in recent months and began a phased reopening of its economy in June.
While most businesses have been allowed to resume operations, they have had to do so at a limited capacity. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday indoor dining at restaurants in New York City could begin Sept. 30 but only at 25% capacity.
Kathryn Wylde, chief executive of the business group Partnership for New York City, said her group organized the letter. Members started expressing concerns from employees this summer as they planned a return to workplaces, she said.
“New Yorkers got used to having a safe, relatively clean and well-managed city. At this point the quality of life in the city is in question,” she said.
The letter was signed by executives from insurance companies, real-estate firms, tech startups and the chambers of commerce in all five of the city’s boroughs.
Many businesses in the city are planning for employees to return to their offices in the coming weeks after having them work remotely since the pandemic struck in March. JPMorgan Chase & Co. has instructed most employees in its sales and trading operations to return to its office by Sept. 21.
“As employers who are committed to New York City and its re-emergence from the devastating health and economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are confident that New York can and shall remain a thriving global center of commerce, innovation and opportunity,” the business leaders’ letter said.
Letter cites public safety and quality-of-life issues; mayor reiterates need for borrowing authority, stimulus
By Katie Honan and Ben Chapman
https://www.wsj.com/articles/busine...u24pzq1o1lldn5f&reflink=article_copyURL_share
Updated Sept. 11, 2020 8:25 am ET
More than 160 business leaders, including executives at Citigroup Inc., Mastercard Inc. and Nasdaq Inc., have signed a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio warning of New York City’s deteriorating condition in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and growing anxiety over public safety, cleanliness and other quality-of-life issues.
In a letter sent Thursday, the leaders said the pandemic has devastated the city’s economy, causing high levels of unemployment. They urged the Democratic mayor to restore essential services that have been cut from the budget that he and the New York City Council recently approved.
The budget reduced or eliminated services like garbage pickups and graffiti removal, as well as shifted nearly $1 billion in funding away from the New York Police Department. The city still faces a $9 billion deficit over the next two years and may have to lay off 22,000 government workers in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, the city has seen a surge in violent crimes and thefts over the summer as officials loosened restrictions to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
For the four-week period that ended Sunday, the city recorded 55 homicides, up 49% from 37 in the same period last year, according to NYPD data. The city also had 222 shooting incidents during those four weeks, more than double the 90 shootings a year earlier.
“We need to send a strong, consistent message that our employees, customers, clients and visitors will be coming back to a safe and healthy work environment,” the business leaders’ letter said. “People will be slow to return unless their concerns about security and the livability of our communities are addressed quickly and with respect and fairness for our city’s diverse populations.”
Mr. de Blasio said in a statement he was grateful for the city’s business community. But state lawmakers must approve borrowing authority for the city so it can close a budget gap and restore services, he added.
“Let’s be clear: To restore city services and save jobs, we need long term borrowing and a federal stimulus—we need these leaders to join the fight to move the city forward,” he said.
Mr. de Blasio has asked for the borrowing power since May, but the state Legislature so far hasn’t acted on his request.
The city was once one of the hardest hit parts of the country by the virus. More than 23,000 New Yorkers have died from Covid-19, including probable deaths.
The city has driven down its infection rate to a low level in recent months and began a phased reopening of its economy in June.
While most businesses have been allowed to resume operations, they have had to do so at a limited capacity. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday indoor dining at restaurants in New York City could begin Sept. 30 but only at 25% capacity.
Kathryn Wylde, chief executive of the business group Partnership for New York City, said her group organized the letter. Members started expressing concerns from employees this summer as they planned a return to workplaces, she said.
“New Yorkers got used to having a safe, relatively clean and well-managed city. At this point the quality of life in the city is in question,” she said.
The letter was signed by executives from insurance companies, real-estate firms, tech startups and the chambers of commerce in all five of the city’s boroughs.
Many businesses in the city are planning for employees to return to their offices in the coming weeks after having them work remotely since the pandemic struck in March. JPMorgan Chase & Co. has instructed most employees in its sales and trading operations to return to its office by Sept. 21.
“As employers who are committed to New York City and its re-emergence from the devastating health and economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, we are confident that New York can and shall remain a thriving global center of commerce, innovation and opportunity,” the business leaders’ letter said.
