NYC Faces Rocky Coronavirus Recovery, Cuomo Warns

NEW YORK CITY — New York City must admit it has problems going into a recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Andrew Cuomo warned.

Empty streets, rising violence, civil disturbance, well-to-do people decamping elsewhere — all these factors and more threaten the city's economy, Cuomo said Thursday.

"We're going to have an issue," he said. "I'm telling you we're going to have an issue."

Cuomo for weeks has raised concerns over what he sees as problems in New York City, primarily crime, homelessness and graffiti. But he expanded his list of worries during a Thursday phone conference in response to a reporter's question about the city's economy coming out of the coronavirus crisis.

So what are the problems Cuomo sees? He gave an admittedly "all of the above answer."

First, there are New Yorkers with means who left the city during the pandemic's early days and still haven't returned, Cuomo said. Then factor in lingering fear, almost a post-9/11 feeling, of whether or not the city is truly safe from the virus, he said.

"You then have certain aspects that will not be reopening immediately and if you did reopen them nobody would come — Broadway theaters, etc.," he said. "The large cultural institutions, the big dinners, right? All the things that make Manhattan fun and appealing."

Cuomo then narrowed his sights on a potential federal bill that would allow people to not pay taxes from their workplace, but rather where they've been living. It could have a major impact on New York City, he said.

"What that means is people wouldn't have to pay their New York City income tax surcharge — pay the Suffolk tax, pay the Columbia County tax, pay the Aspen tax, pay the Connecticut tax," he said. "That is really disturbing."

State officials are working on a reopening commission, but it will take an "affirmative effort" to help New York City, Cuomo said.

"I don't believe it's going to be enough to just sit back and wait," he said.