Detroit and New York are both iconic American cities with long histories of tension at the intersections of race and class, labor and capital. In tough economic times, competition for resources and power can be fierce. How do groups demand respect and gain economic influence?
Read MorePublic pensions—and the employees who receive them—are being attacked by the press and politicians who blame them for whopping state and local budget deficits. Before the short-term budget cycle leads to long-term consequences for middle-class retirement, Common Cause and SCEPA are joining to host an open discussion with the stakeholders in the debate.
Read MoreNew York City went from a dire fiscal crisis in 2002 to an estimated surplus of almost $2 billion this year. After years of austerity, higher revenues may spark demands for tax cuts and new spending. As the mayor prepares his Fiscal 2007 budget proposal, we consider how political leaders, business, labor and the nonprofit sector will respond.
Read MoreEvery morning, hundreds of recent immigrants converge on street corners throughout the city in search of work. The jobs can be dangerous, but the pay is not bad, and most laborers earn enough to support families back home. Who are New York's day laborers? What are their working conditions? Is New York unique?
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