LONG ISLAND CITY, NY—Sticking with the theme of rising inequality around the city, Mayor Bill de Blasio Monday delivered his inaugural State of the City address at LaGuardia Community College here. Among his proposed initiatives were a living wage expansion; the gaining of local control of the minimum wage; a job creation program, a commitment to community healthcare and an acceleration of Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts.
"We've begun the fight to lift the floor for all New Yorkers…to improve the life conditions of those who struggle with great determination – not to get ahead – but merely to keep their heads above water," said the Mayor. "And we're fighting to give everyone a fair shot, so that city government doesn't set its priorities by the needs of those at the very top while ignoring the struggle of those born under a less lucky star."
He pledged to end legal efforts to block the implementation of living wage measures, sign an executive order expanding coverage, and work with the City Council to increase the number of living wage jobs offered by employers that the city subsidizes.
Meanwhile, the administration will seek state authorization to set its own minimum wage, consistent with the needs of working people in the five boroughs.
Under the proposed four-point jobs plan—which focuses specifically on the next generation of New Yorkers—the Mayor pledged to expand STEM and health care-oriented training programs in high schools and at CUNY, develop new industry-linked apprenticeships, and connect every high-school with an in-demand jobs sector to ensure New York City students are better positioned to fill high-quality jobs in the five boroughs. He also set a goal that within eight years, the majority of skilled technology-related jobs in New York City would be filled by those educated in New York City schools.
On the healthcare front, the Mayor plans to build on current advocacy efforts to prevent the loss of vital health care facilities. Lastly, the administration pledged to thoroughly re-examine all Sandy recovery programs and accelerate the delivery of aid to residents who have waited months to rebuild.
Mayor de Blasio also reiterated his commitment to create a universal pre-kindergarten program through a tax increase on the wealthiest New Yorkers.
"We're not asking Albany to raise the state income tax by a penny to pay for universal pre-K and after-school programs here in New York City. We're simply asking Albany to allow New York City to tax its wealthiest residents—those making a half-million or more a year. Raising taxes on the rich makes our commitment to our kids more than just words. It makes that commitment real. It makes that commitment fair," said de Blasio.
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Rayna Katz
Rayna Katz is a seasoned business journalist whose extensive experience includes coverage of the lodging sector, travel and the culinary space. She was most recently content director for a business-to-business publisher, overseeing four publications. While at Meeting News, a travel trade publication, she received a Best Reporting award for a story on meeting cancellations in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.
