Economy ∙ Cash Relief
A Human Centered Economy
New York City is the world’s capital for business, commerce, finance, media, arts and culture.
New York City is home to millions of hard workers who were born here or moved here because they are driven to succeed. Small businesses can be found on every street, and new ones are being started every day. The sheer amount of ingenuity and drive in this City is staggering.
The pandemic has knocked many of us down, but it hasn’t knocked us out. It’s time to get to work rebuilding the City’s economy.
We can’t simply try to rebuild it the way it was. Too many New Yorkers were being left behind. Too many others were only one missed paycheck or unexpected bill away from economic disaster. Too many of our neighbors were living paycheck-to-paycheck, and were unsure how they were going to pay for daycare, and food, and medicine, and rent. And these problems have always hit marginalized communities the hardest.
Short-term, we need to focus on addressing the problems that have been caused by the pandemic so that we’re back on sound financial footing and businesses are able to reopen.
Long-term, we need to build a more human-centered economy. One where the City supports its entrepreneurs and small businesses. Where people can afford rent, and have access to banking services at reasonable rates. A city where our financial industry supports the goals of communities, and where we can invest resources in allowing our people to thrive.
The Yang administration will directly tackle poverty with the largest basic income program in our history. It will open a People’s Bank of NYC so our public funds can be reinvested directly in our people and our communities. The administration will make it easier for small businesses to be compliant with regulations, and work with them to build their customer base. It will work with entrepreneurs to create a new start-up culture in NYC that will ensure the next big tech companies are homegrown. And it will keep its focus on human metrics - working to reduce poverty and homelessness, increase economic security, and build a human-centered economy that puts people above profits.
For immediate plans to address the pandemic, read Andrew’s vision for: