Today I’m sad to say that New York City is not the same beautiful place I fell in love with years ago when I set my eyes on it for the first time. Our leaders have prioritized the demands of the recent mobs which has raised concern for those who don’t agree with the direction the city has been moving this year. Great news for the mob, the Black Lives Matter organization which isn’t a monolithic movement which I was recently told by protesters at city hall now has a new mural directly in front of Trump Tower. Last week the police lost a billion in funding after the request to defund the police. Who’s being left out of all this? It looks the like mobs are getting everything they wanted. Law abiding taxpayers are getting the short end of the stick here because what’s important to them isn’t a priority to our elected officials.
The city no longer feels like the safest big city in America because it isn’t. Crime in the city has increased dramatically after officers were vilified in the public eye. The politicians didn’t support their local law enforcement officers when they needed them most, instead they cut their funding. Ironically the people that will suffer the most from that decision are people in minority communities. Another group this affects almost more importantly when it comes to the city’s economy are its taxpayers who pay to feel safe in their city.
People are leaving New York City in droves and we’re seeing fewer and fewer new residents. The long term effects of this are yet to be determined but we can look at history to see how this can affect a city. The race riots in Detroit in 1967 caused tax paying citizens to leave. The long term effects are what we see today in Detroit. New York City is seeing all time highs in housing vacancies and it’s getting worse by the day.
The streets that used to be full of hustle and lined with businesses are now run by the mentally ill. Everyone who lives in New York City can’t help but notice the problem that was already there but less noticeable with everything else New York was. Where are the actions to address the mentally ill on the streets?
Our businesses are probably getting the worst of the deal over the last few months. Seeing all the businesses closing temporarily, windows covered with plywood, and some closing their doors for good is disheartening. These are the economic pillars of any city and things aren’t looking great for them at all. Maybe they’re worth our officials time just as much was painting murals in front of Trump Tower.
The coronavirus pandemic and the response to it has taken so much of the city’s allure away. Now we can’t even count on our elected officials to make sure taxpayers feel safe or give us reason to look forward to the future. The question right now is where is the incentive to stay in New York City? Believe it or not there’s a clear answer, its potential. I experienced love at first sight three times in my life, and seeing the skyline of this beautiful city was one of them. Although this city isn’t the place I fell in love with then today, knowing its potential will keep me holding on for hope… for now.
