Community Magazine January 2017

A generation or so ago, tourists visiting Manhattan were told to “be careful out there.” They were instructed to keep their purses tight to their chests, not to look other pedestrians in the eye, and never to walk in unlit areas at night. Times Square, at the time, was a well-known but seedy area, rife with unsavory characters. It was not a destination people visited on purpose. This was a time of rickety race relations and spikes in the crime rate – a time in which we saw the city’s decades-old infrastructure disintegrating, with no remedy in sight. Then,with themid-1990s, camewhat isnowknownas a legendary revitalization of New York City. During Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s tenure and later Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s, the problems that plagued many of our boroughs were finally met with serious solutions. Businesses were set up for the long term, jobs increased and the economic forecast climbed upwards with each passing year. Other benefits to the infrastructure: Tenements were reshaped and rebuilt for high-end residents, law enforcement became more prevalent and efficient, and a city that, years earlier, had been frighteningly close to bankruptcy was teeming with tourists again. Fast-forward to today, when the results are even more manifest. Each year, some fifty five million tourists come through New York City – more than six times its number of residents. Once again, New York has become attractive to outsiders coming in, as well as to those who live and work there daily. Many envision riding this wave of success indefinitely, but one New York Republican isn’t so sure this positive trend will continue. In fact, he believes that NYC may be on a downward trajectory, due to consistently poor decision-making by Democrat policy makers. This man is Michel Faulkner and he is running for mayor of New York City. Michel Faulkner wants to put a halt to higher taxes and crime rates – and he wants the change to happen from the top. The 59-year-old has spent the better part of thirty years dedicating himself to the citizens of New York, with an exhaustive list of attributes that attest to his outreach abilities, can-do attitude, and common touch. A n active Christian clergyman for three decades, his work has included helping the homeless, running after-school programs, organizing job fairs and job placement programs, and manning educational initiatives. His efforts have had life-changing effects on New York City’s every age group and demographic, demonstrating his uncanny aptitude for problem solving and community care across the spectrum. Is This New York’s Next Mayor? Michel Faulkner is ready to fix your problems. From neighborhood security to traffic patterns, Faulkner has become intimately familiar with the biggest issues facing our community – and is committed to improve them. DAVE GORDON 28 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE