Commentary

Original essays, new research and data analysis on many of the biggest questions facing New York and other cities

Illuminated pedestrian signal figures glow beside a historic municipal building

The Causes

Not Your Grandfather’s Patronage

Daniel DiSalvo Feb. 11 2025

A man carries slabs of meat over his shoulder through snow

The Causes

Beyond Human Frailty

Sebastian Galiani Feb. 11 2025

A face obscured by bright pink light

Governance

What’s Race Got to Do With It?

Errol Louis Feb. 11 2025

An orange covered in blue-green mold sits on a lace cloth

What It Looks Like Up Close

How Corrupt Is New York, Anyway?

Marco Rosaire Rossi Feb. 11 2025

A dealer’s hand rests near a roulette wheel and stacked chips

What It Looks Like Up Close

Casinos Bring the Rot

David Cay Johnston Feb. 11 2025

A man in sunglasses and a suit walks through a crowd

What It Looks Like Up Close

The Mayor and New York City Held Hostage

Elizabeth Glazer Feb. 11 2025

A utility worker reads a newspaper beside a street excavation

The Upside — Yes, Really

When the Cure Is Worse Than the Disease

Edward Glaeser Feb. 10 2025

Men in suits gather around a telephone at a formal event

The Upside — Yes, Really

Tammany, Through Clear Eyes

Terry Golway Feb. 10 2025

Women in fur coats sweep a city street with brooms

The Upside — Yes, Really

Dirtier Politics, Cleaner Streets?

Patricia Strach, Kathleen Sullivan Feb. 10 2025

An aerial view of a crowded plaza littered with paper

Cleanup on Aisle 10

How Hong Kong Emerged From the Swamp

Mark Hampton Feb. 10 2025

A woman places a sprig of leaves on a large robot

Cleanup on Aisle 10

Artificial Intelligence, Actual Integrity

Stephen Goldsmith, Rose Gill Feb. 10 2025

Governor Cuomo speaks at a podium beside a screen showing President Trump

Politics

Running for NYC Mayor Through a Fog

Harry Siegel Feb. 06 2025