Commentary/Op-Ed - December 2019
Op-Ed: NYC’s Creative Industries are the Future of Middle-wage JobsNYC's creative economy has seen record-setting job growth but gotten only modest support from city officials. In this Crain's op-ed, CUF Executive Director Jonathan Bowles and Winston C. Fisher make the case that the creative industries should play a much larger role in the city's middle class jobs strategy.
Commentary/Op-Ed - October 2019
Op-Ed: Securing the future of New York’s independent workersAcross the state, hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers are now working independently, subcontracting, or earning income in the gig economy. In this Times Union op-ed, CUF Editorial and Policy Director Eli Dvorkin and Winston C. Fisher argue that while the rise of independent work has clear benefits for New Yorkers and New York’s economy, it is also bringing a host of new challenges that could be addressed through a first-of-its-kind system of portable benefits.
Commentary/Op-Ed - September 2019
Op-Ed: NYC, get ready for the robotsOur new op-ed in the Daily News makes the case for a bold new plan to prepare New York City's workforce for the coming wave of automation.
Commentary/Op-Ed - July 2019
Op-Ed: How libraries can help solve NYC’s next big Census problemOur new op-ed in the Gotham Gazette argues that New York City’s public libraries are uniquely positioned to help solve the city’s next big Census problem: the move to a digital Census.
Commentary/Op-Ed - May 2019
NYC parks need more money, here’s how to raise itNew York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City Council should commit to increasing the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation budget by $100 million this year. But to make sure this investment is sustainable for the long-term, the city needs to get creative about alternative sources of revenue. In this City and State op-ed, CUF Editorial Director Eli Dvorkin lays out new ideas for generating funding for parks.
Commentary/Op-Ed - April 2019
OP-ED: The Opportunity Ahead for the New CUNY ChancellorNo institution is better positioned than CUNY to help lower-income and first generation students earn a postsecondary credential and get on the path to a successful career. In this Gotham Gazette op-ed, CUF Executive Director Jonathan Bowles and Winston C. Fisher argue that the incoming chancellor can seize this moment and help CUNY realize its potential as a launchpad into the middle class.
Commentary/Op-Ed - April 2019
London Calling: New York Should Take a Cue from London Mayor’s Cultural Infrastructure PlanLast month, the mayor of London released the Cultural Infrastructure Plan, an initiative to address the growing affordability crisis facing the city’s artists and creators. With similar challenges threatening New York City’s artists and venues, city leaders and local officials should consider taking a page from London’s sketchbook.
Commentary/Op-Ed - March 2019
State must prepare for its aging futureThe number of seniors statewide has jumped significantly over the last decade. Governor Cuomo and state lawmakers have proposed an increase in funding for services that help older New Yorkers stay in their homes, but they should take new steps to support this growing population.
Commentary/Op-Ed - January 2019
15 Ideas for Expanding Economic Opportunity in New York in 2019New York's State Legislature has passed major new legislation in the first days of 2019, beginning the year on a high note. Now lawmakers have an opportunity to take similarly bold steps to reduce income inequality statewide to help thousands more New Yorkers build the skills and educational credentials needed to get ahead in today's economy.
Commentary/Op-Ed - January 2019
Op-Ed: Seize the moment to fix NYC’s broken capital construction systemNew York City's capital construction process is plagued by delays and cost overruns—a longstanding challenge that DDC's new reform plan seeks to fix. But for these reforms to stick, every agency with a hand in the process will have to commit to the shared goal of improving project delivery.
Commentary/Op-Ed - January 2019
OP-ED: Support Remedial Education Reforms to Help More Students SucceedTraditional remedial education has become just another stumbling block on the road to a college credential. By investing in comprehensive remedial education reform, New York State can lift up underprepared students and put thousands more on track to a brighter economic future.
Commentary/Op-Ed - September 2018
Op-Ed: Creating Middle Class Jobs By Upgrading NYC’s Aging InfrastructureAn ambitious plan to revitalize public infrastructure can provide New Yorkers with well-paying jobs and lay the foundation for a stronger city.
Commentary/Op-Ed - September 2018
Op-Ed: Getting New York’s Excelsior Scholarship Program RightGovernor Cuomo is right to focus on college affordability, but his Excelsior Scholarship program is only reaching a small number of New Yorkers. With a few tweaks, New York can make Excelsior a powerful engine of educational opportunity.
Commentary/Op-Ed - July 2018
Op-Ed: Getting Ahead of Automation in New YorkAbout 12 percent of New York State's workforce, more than 1.2 million jobs statewide, could be largely automated using technology that exists today. To get New Yorkers ready, policymakers and legislators must double down on a skills-building agenda.
Commentary/Op-Ed - June 2018
Op-Ed: Revitalizing New York’s Aging Parks InfrastructureWith more than 100 million parks visitors each year and the city’s population at a record high, New York’s 1,700 public parks have never been busier. But age and underinvestment in basic maintenance in has taken a toll. By investing wisely in parks' revitalization, these essential open spaces can continue to thrive into the next century and beyond.
Commentary/Op-Ed - June 2018
Op-Ed: NYC Should Fund Community College Metro CardsWhile the City Council's Fair Fares Plan would undoubtedly provide a much-needed boost to tens of thousands of New Yorkers who are barely scraping by, it remains in legislative limbo. As a practical alternative, New York can start by making MetroCards free for the city’s community college students.
Commentary/Op-Ed - May 2018
Op-Ed: NYC Tourism Industry Deserves Credit For Major Job GrowthOver the past two decades, tourism in New York City has swelled from 33 million to nearly 63 million annual visitors. The city should make concrete efforts that recognize tourism’s role in the region’s economy, and plan to sustain it.
Commentary/Op-Ed - April 2018
Op-Ed: Protecting New York State’s For-Profit College StudentsFar too many graduates of New York State’s for-profit colleges end up stuck in low-wage jobs and saddled with debt that they can't afford, while taxpayers are left footing the bill. The State Legislature and Governor Cuomo have the power to change this by implementing statewide standards to ensure that crucial investments in higher education result in real economic mobility for students.
Commentary/Op-Ed - April 2018
From Dream Machine to Job Machine: Expanding Academic Certificates at CUNY’s Community CollegesCUNY's innovative college success programs are helping more students earn a degree—and with it, a shot at economic opportunity. But when nearly 80 percent of students at CUNY community colleges fail to earn an associate’s degree in three years, it's time to consider additional options. Expanding academic certificate programs should be part of the solution.
Commentary/Op-Ed - March 2018
Op-Ed: Bridge programs get big results, but little supportNew York’s bridge programs serve nowhere near the number of adults who would benefit from them. New York State should make investing in bridge programs part of its proposed $175 million workforce development plan.
