“The departure of top deputy mayors underscores what many of us have long sensed—this administration has lost its footing. The exit of talent in areas vital to the public interest and our infrastructure – economic development and housing, health and human services, operations and public safety – raises urgent questions about the City’s direction and stability. The way forward is clear: we need leadership with vision and backbone, expertise and compassion, to elevate New York City—strengthening our competitiveness, expanding workforce development and career pathways, addressing childcare and affordability crises, and supporting the local businesses that power our neighborhoods.
“The challenges before us are stark: our poverty rates outpace the rest of the country, unemployment remains stubbornly high, and wage inequality continues to worsen. The ongoing crisis in human services contracting only deepens these problems, weakening the workforce capable of stabilizing the City’s economy. The departure of the administration’s senior leaders does us no favors as we struggle to rebuild interconnected systems that have long deprived too many New Yorkers of dignity and independence. Those of us committed to building a stronger, better New York must remain focused and resolute, regardless of our vantage point. We must work diligently to respond to immediate realities—such as improving affordability and reducing barriers low-wage workers face in accessing better jobs—while laying the foundation to grow the middle class and drive sustained economic growth across the boroughs. The future of the City cannot be thought of as simply a matter of getting stuff done anymore; it must be a matter of getting stuff right.”
The New York City Employment & Training Coalition (NYCETC), the largest city-based workforce development association in the country, works to ensure that every New Yorker can access the skills, training, and education necessary to thrive in the post-pandemic economy and that every business can maintain a highly skilled workforce. NYCETC aims to expand access to quality jobs and wages by shaping an effective, sustainable workforce development ecosystem in NYC. Learn more at nycetc.org.