Editorial: Six resolutions for Brooklyn in 2016
Brooklyn is a borough of 2.6 million people who already live in a great place, but want and deserve an even better standard of living. With that in mind, we present four resolutions on how to improve Brooklyn:
1.) Resolve the homelessness crisis with dignity. The city’s response to the sharp increase in homelessness has largely been reduced to stuffing as many people as possible into “shelters” unfit for residence. Promises of reform from the mayor and edicts from the governor mandating shelter during freezing conditions aren’t going to be enough to solve this crisis. The city and state must work together to hammer out a new strategy to tackle homelessness. This includes not only making housing more affordable but also creating “supportive housing,” which gives every shelter resident the living quarters they require and the services they need to build independent lives.
2.) Keep the pressure on the criminals. Despite an uptick in homicides this past year, the New York Police Department continues to do a yeoman’s job in keeping us safe. Brooklyn residents need to continue to support the NYPD, and the NYPD — along with the city government — must continue to provide Brooklyn with the manpower needed to fight crime from Brooklyn Heights to Bensonhurst, from Canarsie to Coney Island, and every community in between. New York City hired 1,300 additional police officers last year, and we believe that the city should hire 1,000 more in 2016 to fortify counterterrorism efforts without draining the rosters of local precincts.