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MEMORANDUM
TO:Interested PartiesFR:Carly LindauerCommunications Director, Bill Thompson for MayorDT:July 14, 2009RE:Our City, Our Future -Jobs and the Economy
OUR CITY, OUR FUTURE: NEW LEADERSHIP FOR NEW YORKOn Saturday, July 11, Bill kicked off his “Our City, Our Future,” tour at Brooklyn Borough Hallwhere hewas joined by hundreds of supporters, volunteers and elected officials
. Over the next five weeks, he’lltravel across all five boroughs, talking about issues suchasjobs and the economy, education, housing,affordability and undeserved communities.
This week, Bill will focus onjobs and the economy
 –meeting with those who’ve been largely ignoredby the Mayor’s top down policies: small business owners, factory workers, and unemployed andunderemployed New Yorkers. He’ll spend the week attending roundtable discussions, visiting sites thathave been impacted by the economic downturn, and getting feedback and opinions from those who’vebeen hit the hardest.
MIKE BLOOMBERG’S FAILED POLICIES:
In the last few days, two damning reports were released that clearly demonstrate how MikeBloomberg’s misplaced priorities have failed New York’s working families.
Middle class families are leaving New York City because it’s unaffordable
.-According to the Drum Major Institute “more than 151,000 middle-class residentsleft the city in 2006 alone.” [New York Post, 7/12/09]
The job loss gap between African Americansand Whites in New York has widened–and is farlarger than the gap seen across the country.
[New York Times, 7/13/09]
 
-The recession has also worsened the unemployment rate in New York among otherethnic groups, although none as sharply as blacks. Among Hispanics, the rate rose to9.3 percent in the first quarter of 2009 from 6.4 percent in the first quarter of 2008;among Asians and other ethnic classifications, the rate rose to 7.1 percent from 5.5percent. [New York Times, 7/13/09]Mike Bloomberg has spent more time focusing on those at the top –the wealthy, developers, WallStreet –than he has on the City’s middle and working class families.
Instead of working to preservemiddle class jobs, Mike Bloomberg invested $45 million in jobtraining programs for those on Wall Street.
Mike Bloomberg haszonedout of existence 14% of the City’s land available for industrialuses.
[Center for Urban Futures]
 
-With 7,000 companies employing roughly 100,000 workers,light manufacturing isstill a viable and important sector in New York City.[New York Industrial RetentionNetwork]-From Luxury shoes in the Bronx, to specialty food production in Queens and highend fashion in Brooklyn,these jobs pay, on average, $16,000 more a year thanretailsector jobs and help create financial stability and opportunity for tens of thousandsof New Yorkfamilies. [New York Industrial Retention Network]-Unfortunately, this is an industry which Bloomberg hasn’t focusedon and treatswith indifference. His misguidedrezoning hasplaced real estate value ahead of jobs.
Despite the fact that New York City is a major purchaser of professional goods and services,Mike Bloomberg has done little to supportlocal businesses.
-The Mayorhas instead opted to spend billions of dollars around the country,including moving to an out of state supplierfor New York Citytext books –a movethat took business away from local book suppliers.
THE STATISTICS:
In 2005, Mike Bloomberg promised to create 250,000 jobs.But…
New York’s employment rate is the highest it’s been in 16 years.[New York Times,6/18/09]
151,000 middle class residents left New York City in 2006 alone.[New York Post, 7/13/09]
New York City unemployment rate is likely to reach 9.5% by early 2010. [Office of the NYCComptroller, 7/13/09]
The unemployment surge in New York City primarily has affected men; more than 70% of theincrease in the city’s unemployed between the first quarter of 2008 andthe first quarter of 2009 are men. [Office of the NYC Comptroller, 7/13/09]
Overall unemployment rose by 72% between the first quarters of 2008 and 2009, butunemployment in the African-American community swelled by 167%. [Office of the NYCComptroller, 7/13/09]
The unemployment rate among African-Americans during the first quarter of this year rose to14.7% -four times faster than with other ethnic groups. [Office of the NYC Comptroller,7/13/09]
Among Hispanics, theunemploymentrate rose to 9.3 percentin the first quarter of 2009 from6.4 percent in the first quarter of 2008; among Asians and other ethnic classifications, the raterose to 7.1 percent from 5.5 percent. [New York Times, 7/13/09]
During that same period, unemployment most affected those between the ages of 25 and 54,with that number jumping from 99,900 to 211,800 –a 112% increase. [Office of the NYCComptroller, 7/13/09]
BILL’S VISIONFOR NEW YORK:
Bill knows that we need to refocus our priorities and fight for our middle and working class families.
AsMayor, Bill will create a smartgrowth and fairgrowthdevelopment model
. This will include:
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