More than 160 business leaders in New York City have complained to Mayor Bill de Blasio about “deteriorating” life conditions and “widespread anxiety over public safety” in the Big Apple, calling on him to take action regarding a number of issues “that jeopardise economic recovery” after containing the city’s coronavirus outbreak.
“Despite New York’s success in containing the coronavirus, unprecedented numbers of New Yorkers are unemployed, facing homelessness, or otherwise at risk,” the city business leaders wrote in a letter to the Mayor on Thursday. “There is widespread anxiety over public safety, cleanliness and other quality of life issues that are contributing to deteriorating conditions in commercial districts and neighbourhoods across the five boroughs.”
The CEOs vowed to provide “a safe and healthy work environment” for their employees, who are expected to return to the workplace soon, urging de Blasio to take “immediate action” to address the city residents’ “concerns about security and the livability” with “respect and fairness” for the city’s diverse population.
“We urge you to take immediate action to restore essential services as a necessary precursor for solving the city’s longer term, complex, economic challenges,” the businessmen wrote, adding, “We are prepared to help advise and support such an effort.”
The list of the letter’s signatures included executives from prominent corporations such as Bank of America, Macy's, Citigroup, Lyft, and Jet Blue, along with others. The initiative was organised by the Partnership for New York City, a group of businesses which together employ over 1.5 million New Yorkers.