Our reports find that potential federal budget cuts, like those reportedly under consideration, could cause significant harm for New York City’s public schools, hospitals, housing, and childcare. Trump’s proposed economic policies would likely cause a large spike in inflation and reduce housing production.
The potential elimination or reduction of infrastructure and climate investments could halt key transit and resiliency projects. Many New Yorkers – including immigrants, LGBTQ+, those who need abortion care, and workers seeking to organize unions – would see rollbacks to their civil rights that jeopardize their lives and safety. And beyond the City’s budget, millions of New Yorkers rely on federally-funded health care, social services, food, and retirement security.
The incoming President has also promised to undermine policies that advance diversity, equity, and inclusion – the opposite of Martin Luther King, Jr’s dream for our country.
We can’t predict exactly what the next 4 years will bring of course, but we can prepare to stand up to the bullying and authoritarianism to the greatest extent possible. I have faith New York City will once again rise to the occasion.
In the days ahead, I promise that our office will continue to speak forthrightly about the risks we face, to evaluate the impact of executive orders, to provide clear data that New Yorkers can use together, to make sure that we measure inequality as well as inefficiency, to attend to diversity, equity, and inclusion (which has helped us achieve great results for the City’s pension funds), to convene stakeholders to protect New Yorkers – and to do all we can to advance Dr. King’s vision.
Dr. King did not hesitate, of course, to speak out with moral clarity against racism, inequality, and oppression. "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter," he said. But even in dark times, he did not lose faith in the possibility of the American people to do better.
As we honor his legacy today, we too must keep that balance of clarity, resoluteness, and hope,
Brad
