NEW YORK (NewsNation) — As New York Gov. Kathy Hochul prepares to start her first full term as governor in January, she’s facing intense pressure from hundreds of local business leaders to make the city’s streets safe again.
The Partnership for New York City has two requests for Hochul: crack down on crime and don’t raise taxes.
When this group talks, New York City’s business community and election officials listen because it’s a collective voice of more than 300 of the city’s most powerful and prominent business leaders who run some of the wealthiest corporations in the world.
New York City Police Department crime statistics data shows rapes are up almost 11%, robberies nearly 32%, burglaries 28% and transit crime is up 40% compared to a year ago. Murders and shootings are down for the year.
Transit crime is a major concern for the Partnership for New York City as companies push to get their employees back into the office, there’s concern about a spike in assaults and killings in the subway system. They want Hochul to provide a better sense of security through a stronger show of force.
On the tax front, the partnership says with business profits down and poor commercial real estate sales, the city’s tax collection won’t be strong. So they’re asking the governor to avoid overspending, saying it will lead to higher taxes.
“The next four years will involve fiscal challenges while requiring additional state investment in affordable housing, expanded mental health services, and workforce training. it will require tough decisions on the part of the governor, who is definitely up to the job,” Partnership for New York City CEO Kathryn Wylde said in a statement to NewsNation.
Earlier this year, the Partnership for New York City along with the city of New York launched the Homeless Assistance Fund, a collective public-private initiative to provide services and mental health resources to New Yorkers experiencing homelessness.