Gray Dawn

Thirty-six years ago Hollywood gave us the movie “Red Dawn,” a Cold War classic in which American high-school kids take up arms against a Soviet invasion. The premise was absurd—the USSR was never actually going to parachute into Colorado—but it sure was fun to see Patrick Swayze and Charlie Sheen defend our way of life.

Other problems facing the United States, and New York City, are less exciting than after-school combat, but they are much more real. One is the need to care for our steadily aging population.

The rising share of the population that's over age 65 presents a complex bundle of opportunities and challenges. City Limits has documented many of both in its Age Justice series over the past two years. But the current debate over the state's Medicaid budget gap brings some of the problems into sharp relief.

Blame the gap on rising enrollment Medicaid. Blame it on soaring subscription to Long-Term Care. Blame it on an explosion of interest in CDPAP, the program that pays for family members to provide in-home help. Yes, there's likely some fraud or inefficiency in the mix. But a huge share of the rising price-tag—regardless of the particular form it takes—merely reflects an effort to cover the enormous cost of caring for people who need very intense help at the end of their lives, sometimes for years.

Monday would have been my dad's 74^th birthday. He died in July of Alzheimer's after a struggle lasting 14 years, the last eight of which were spent in a residential facility paid for through Medicaid (not in New York). My family, like many others, learned a lesson which ought to guide the discussions about closing this year's budget gap: The state can throw the bill for long-term care to families, to insurance companies, to counties or cities. But it cannot throw it away.

- Jarrett Murphy, executive editor

Push for Extending ‘Fair Fares’ Program to the Disabled, Vets
A spokeswoman for the mayor’s office says the city is looking into the possibility of extending Fair Fares to eligible Access-a-Ride customers. Read more.

Confusion and Tension Over Budget Gap and Cuomo's Proposed Medicaid Changes
It is unclear who is on the governor’s task force to redesign Medicaid (again), or exactly what is driving the cost spike that created a multibillion-dollar budget gap. Read more.

City and State Budgets Pose Challenges for Aging New Yorkers
Responding to a budget gap driven largely by Medicaid costs, the governor and mayor are both proposing spending plans that ask more of or do less for seniors. Read more.

NYC's Tech Boom is Impressive. Is it Inclusive?
Fifty weeks after the Amazon HQ2 deal collapsed, NYC’s economy continues to add jobs, and tech companies continue to invest here. That’s not to say the loss of the deal didn’t come at a cost. Read more.

NYC’s Homeless Hotel Population Surges as City Grapples with Housing Crisis
When Mayor de Blasio in 2017 announced a plan to end the use of hotels as homeless shelters by 2023, there were about 7,500 homeless people in hotel rooms paid for by the city. Today, there are 11,750. Read more.

Split Opinion Over Federal Bill to Legalize Farmworkers as NY's New Law Takes Effect
As Congress weighs creating a legalization path for farm workers, New York farmers and laborers are adjusting to a state law that strengthens workers' rights. Read more.

Listen: Gentrification’s Winners, Losers and Questions
Three experts on neighborhood change discuss what the G word has meant for New York City, its neighborhoods and their people. Listen here.

Will New York’s Presidential Primary Matter?
City Limits’ editor joined a Democratic analyst and a Republican operative to break down the 2020 race. Read more.

What you need to know: Legal advice for immigrants in NYC
This is not an exhaustive list but offers a variety of opportunities that exist in the city. Read more.

Opinion: Bring Humanity to the Fight Against Homelessness
‘There are valuable programs in place that, with commitment and accountability, enable homeless New Yorkers to be housed and regain the dignity to achieve a better future for themselves and their children.’ Read more.

Opinion: In Queens-LI Congressional District, Openly Gay Candidate Offers Fresh Choice
'Michael Weinstock, if elected, will become the first 9/11 firefighter elected to Congress and the first openly-gay person to represent New York City in Congress.' Read more.

Opinion: Turn on the TAP for Incarcerated New Yorkers
'Twenty-five years after killing it, New York is considering bringing back tuition assistance for people in prison. Evidence indicates it will reduce recidivism, save taxpayer money and make communities safer.' Read more.

Chinese Language School, Senior Center and Museum Archive Recovering After Mulberry St. Fire
The fire that took place at 70 Mulberry St. on the night of Jan. 23 brought severe damage to the community organizations in the building. Read more.

NYC Chinese Organizations Postpone Lunar New Year Celebrations Over Coronavirus Fears
Though no cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed in New York, several local Chinese community organizations have cancelled or postponed their Lunar New Year galas to prevent the virus from spreading. Read more.

New Judge Inducted in Queens Following Upset Primary Win
To the beat of bomba and plena, Lumarie Maldonado Cruz was inducted into Queens’ Civil Court as the first Latina to become a judge without the blessing of the Queens County Democratic Party. Read more.

City Limits en Español

Lo que necesita saber sobre: La licencia de conducción para indocumentados en Nueva York
Residentes del estado de Nueva York, sin importar el estatus migratorio, pueden solicitar licencia de conducción en el departamento de motores y vehículos. Lee mas.

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