Urban Conditions: New York City

Abstract

Many people believe that the future direction of modern cities will be considerably determined by the success or failure of New York City's present experimentations. When Mayor Lindsay's administration took office (1966), the city's fiscal affairs were in serious disorder, and the govern mental structure was chaotic and wasteful. For years, founda tions and special committees had been issuing reports calling for reform of the proliferation and duplication of agencies. Mayor Lindsay's administration has initiated fiscal reform and a sweeping governmental reorganization. Integrated with these programs is the Mayor's new program-planning-budget system which defines governmental programs actively in terms of evaluating alternative ways to reach program objectives. Fiscal experts agree that New York must receive substantially increased federal and state aid, and Mayor Lindsay is join ing with other city mayors to press for additional federal funds. The Mayor is also advocating greater regional ties for solving regional problems; increased home-rule powers; and Neigh borhood Mayors' Offices throughout the city. Improving the quality of and co-operation between the cities' agencies and setting up task forces independent of the bureaucracy will also be major goals. In the long run, however, the success of these reforms will depend on the judgment of the man at the top.—Ed.