BY MIKE TOLKIN
Despite lofty campaign promises from Mayor de Blasio, inequality has actually risen over the past four years, which is why so many New Yorkers still struggle to just make ends meet. And the situation is getting worse by the day, because we continue to push quick-fixes and shortterm solutions that are neither adequate nor sustainable. So how can we solve income inequality? By thinking bigger. New Yorkers need a comprehensive New Deal-style economic development plan to help them get more money in their pockets today and prepare them for future financial success in an ever-changing economy.
Create more, better-paying jobs.
We will do this by building new affordable housing campuses, upgrading our mass transit system, and expanding city services — like health care, street cleaning and community policing. We’ll also implement new startup and small business support programs to encourage entrepreneurship and equip New Yorkers with the resources and financial aid they need to get new businesses off the ground.
Fund our emerging industries.
New city grant programs can ignite new industries by seeding research and development efforts in high-growth areas like artificial intelligence, biotechnology and quantum computing. Not only will our investments lead to new high-paying jobs; they will also yield long-term financial returns, allowing the public to participate in private-sector economic growth.
Redesign our education system.
We must teach our children the criticalthinking and problem-solving skills needed to be successful in jobs that don’t even exist yet. And we’ll offer paid job-training programs so people already in the workforce can afford to take care of their families while acquiring the skills they need to compete for more advanced, higher-paying job opportunities.
We’ll finance these initiatives in the short-term through debt and private-public partnerships. And we’ll be able to sustain ongoing investment and maintenance in the long term because our direct investments today will generate greater economic growth and create new revenue sources. We cannot settle for the same tired, failed solutions to solve our problems. Progress won’t come easy, but together, we will rebuild our government and reframe our economy such that all New Yorkers benefit from future economic growth and can afford to live happy and productive lives in the city we all love. Tolkin is a tech entrepreneur.