Where New York City went wrong in 2023 — and how to fix it

I’m honored to write this column — and with writing comes the privilege of hearing from readers.

Below is a sampling of the constructive criticism I’ve received this year from strangers and friends — and my best effort to respond to that criticism.  

Yes, but it rose far faster in New York in 2020 and 2021, compared with the rest of the country.  

In 2022, even after a decline that year, New York murders were still 37% higher than they were in 2019.

Nationwide, by contrast, they were 25% higher. New York likely ended 2023 with murders still 22% higher than in 2019, with murder falling faster in the country as a whole.  

New York, with its vast wealth and lavish public-sector spending, has no excuse for lagging the country.