Though his "Tale of Two Cities" was the centerpiece of Bill de Blasio's mayoral campaign, details on how the candidate plans to narrow New York City's rising inequality have been scarce. With a speech on Friday, he sought to fill in the gaps.
"In a breakfast speech to a prominent civic group, Mr. de Blasio, the Democratic nominee for mayor, called himself 'a progressive activist fiscal conservative' and declared that the city’s 'affordability crisis' was as urgent and serious a civic problem as the turmoil faced after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks," reports Michael M. Grynbaum.
So beyond higher taxes to fund universal pre-K and building more affordable housing, how would de Blasio address the crisis? By bolstering labor unions, raising wages for city workers, making businesses provide more sick days, and "invest[ing] in the city’s colleges and local manufacturing concerns".
"Mr. de Blasio offered repeated, if muted, praise for some of the economic development policies of Mr. Bloomberg, a stark contrast to the denunciations that were a hallmark of his primary campaign," adds Grynbaum. "But he also made clear that he believed the current administration had not gone far enough in expanding affordable housing and social mobility in a city where millions of residents remain under the poverty line."
FULL STORY: With Focus on ‘Affordability Crisis,’ de Blasio Offers His Vision for New York

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
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Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
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Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
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MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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