New York has always been a beacon – vibrant, dynamic, sometimes chaotic, but always striving. But after generations of progress, it’s time to face the harsh reality that our beloved city has settled for less in recent years and is caught in a post-Covid funk. A sense of dysfunction has become undeniable. As New Yorkers, we’ve watched with growing alarm as the city we love – and powers not only our state but much of our country – seems to be lost at sea.
First, nothing has done more damage to our way of life and global reputation than the erosion of public safety in our communities. In recent years we’ve seen extreme agendas push to defund the police and question more law enforcement on our subways, even as we all witness heinous crimes right in front of our eyes every day. As New Yorkers, we deserve leadership that prioritizes safety and provides support for our first responders. Safety isn’t a luxury, it’s the bedrock upon which any thriving city is built.
Further, the housing and homelessness emergency has spiraled out of control, creating a humanitarian catastrophe unfolding on our streets. Housing, the cornerstone of stability for families, has become crushingly unaffordable for far too many, pushing longtime residents and young strivers alike to their breaking point and public school children into tenuous positions. We’re making unforced errors such as forcing city agencies and nonprofits from guessing what their budgets might be to serve the most vulnerable.
Compounding these overlapping issues is a vacuum of leadership. Performative protests and social media clout are prioritized over results. This lack of bold, pragmatic governance is causing New York to lose its global edge. Such a mindset manifests in several alarming ways, from college campuses being shut down by extremism to losing top tier businesses to Miami. This would’ve once been unthinkable, but now we are seemingly resigned to accept defeat.
That is why we’re launching Restore Sanity NYC, an organization formed to be a voice for the sensible majority for New Yorkers yearning for practical solutions, straightforward governance, and a return to common sense. We are committed to advocating for policies that prioritize public safety, foster economic vitality, demand accountability from our leaders, and bridge the divides holding our city back. The challenges are immense, but the spirit of New York is resilient and when enough New Yorkers stand up and say “enough is enough,” there’s no limit to our potential.
We believe that all New Yorkers, regardless of background or borough, share fundamental aspirations for their communities: safety, opportunity, good schools, clean streets, working infrastructure and mutual respect. We have it in us.
Moynihan Station was once a ghost of a building, but today it’s a gorgeous, bustling train hall. The Q-train used to stop at East 57th Street. Today it connects all the way to the edge of East Harlem and is poised to go ever further soon. And just a decade ago our leaders in City Hall and Albany worked together to undertake the historic expansion of our public school system to include Universal Pre-K – a one-time pipedream that is now on the verge of being expanded even further to universal 3K.
At a time when politics in Washington have left New Yorkers with less certainty than ever, we need to take control of our own destiny.
How do we do this? We first need to refocus the conversation around these core tenets critical for making sure the city thrives. By making our case directly to New Yorkers, we can limit the pernicious local special interests of those seeking to block progress.
We may come from different backgrounds and perspectives. We may not agree on everything. But we do know we’re on the wrong track and that we need our leaders to tune out those who care more about getting empty likes than about working for the common good.
