Aid Haitians, immigrants to help NYC economy: Mayor Bloomberg

[The Northerner]

Source: Reuters

NEW YORK, Jan. 20, 2010 (Reuters) — New York City can revive its economy by helping Haitians and other immigrants get small business loans, creating jobs and other programs for at-risk youths, boosting anti-foreclosure efforts, and setting up neighborhood credit unions, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Wednesday.

Earthquake-stricken Haitian New Yorkers should be given the federal immigration agency's support of "Temporary Protected Status" so they can find better-paying legal jobs and send more money back home, Bloomberg said in a copy of his annual State of the City address.

New York City has the largest population of Haitian descent outside Port-au-Prince, the earthquake-torn capital city of this Caribbean nation.

Bloomberg, a third-term mayor who won re-election as an independent and who has long campaigned for national immigration reform, called on law firms, charities and community groups to form a new public-private partnership to help Haitians qualify for this legal status.

Read more: http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre60j4mt-us-newyorkcity-jobs/

[Lucky Luciano]

1. Bloomberg is an ok guy - I know progressives

With litmus tests that must ALL pass don't like him, but I like bloomberg. Not perfect, but none are.