Business Chiefs Seek N.Y.C. Mayoral Candidate, With $100 Million as Bait
Re: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/14/nyregion/mayor-stephen-ross-daniel-doctoroff.html
"The Death and Life of Great American Cities" by Jane Jacobs cogently details mendacious developers and obsequious officials to treat cities as bags of cash to enrich rigged-games players through favorable fiance, taxation, zoning, building codes, design professionals, builders, unions, media, publicity, organized criminal cartels, lax law enforcement, public service awards, monthly stipends and bail-out bounties, children's access to colleges, packing religious and non-profit boards, street and park naming, glorifying editorials and obituaries, well, whatever it takes to assert ownership of the public commons.
Mr. Trump is a trivial example of the predation Ms. Jacobs excoriates, Robert Moses was the target back then, and he was beloved by beneficiaries of his uncontrollable power in New York State and City. Still venerated by not a few who dream of emulating his prowess at misshaping the built and political environment to fit profittaking above all else.
Mr. Ross, Mr. Bloomberg, Mr. Davidoff have no interest in emulating Mayor LaGuardia, perhaps the last wholly, rather then slightly, public-spirited leader of the city. To these profiteers, Ms. Jacobs is economically ignorant, to Trump she is a Mom to be ridiculed.
To voters, think hard, who among the notables would make a desirable neighbor and friend when disaster comes knocking at open-door lungs.