In November 2016, Americans sent a New Yorker to the White House. But has President Trump delivered for his hometown? And does he even want to help out his fellow New Yorkers after the city made it clear how it feels about him, voting overwhelmingly for Hillary Clinton on Election Day? Let’s take a look at the key issues.
Immigration
New York is the country's largest immigrant city, and President Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration has been met with resistance from Mayor Bill de Blasio. City Hall is refusing to cooperate with federal immigration authorities, except in cases where undocumented immigrants have been convicted of serious crimes. The city has sued the Justice Department over its decision to deny the city $4 million in federal law enforcement grants because New York is a so-called sanctuary city. The mayor has argued that it is important for immigrants living in the city illegally to feel comfortable approaching police about criminal activity.
Infrastructure
When President Trump was elected, local officials hoped that the New York real estate developer would make infrastructure improvements a priority of his administration. That optimism was short-lived, however. The massive Gateway Rail Tunnel Project between New York and New Jersey is considered critical to the economic future of the city. But it has struggled to secure federal funding and support, in part, because Democratic Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer is a champion of the project. The city's subways, meanwhile, are also in dire need of help.
Public Housing
The city's public housing authority provides housing for more than 400,000 New Yorkers and the system, known as NYCHA, relies on federal funding. Since 2001, federal funding for the city's public housing system has been on the decline, and President Trump's budget had called for even deeper cuts. But the final federal budget actually gave NYCHA a significant funding boost. Federal prosecutors, meanwhile, recently wrapped up an investigation into the public housing system and uncovered widespread problems related to the authority's handling of lead paint and its attempt to hide substandard living conditions. A settlement agreement reached with the city calls for a federal monitor to be installed at NYCHA.
Taxes
One of President Trump's biggest accomplishments is his tax overhaul, which slashed corporate taxes and reduced the tax bill for most Americans, at least in the short-term. But New York, and other high-tax states that are home to many Democrats, took a hit from the legislation. In fact, more than half of the state's Republican representatives in Congress voted against the bill. That's because the tax bill includes a $10,000 cap on state and local income tax deductions and property tax deductions. New York is one of four states that are suing the federal government over the deduction cap. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has argued it is a direct effort to hurt blue states. The city comptroller's office says that nearly 475,000 New York City taxpayers will see their taxes go up because of the federal tax bill. About half of taxpayers who make between $100,000 and $500,000 can expect a tax increase. Nearly 58 percent of taxpayers who make more than $1 million are projected to see their taxes rise as well.
Politics
The political landscape in the city has changed dramatically since President Trump's election. New Yorkers who had never participated in political demonstrations began marching and organizing. Democratic politics are shifting rapidly to the left. A 28-year-old political newcomer, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, toppled Rep. Joe Crowley, a powerful and longtime member of Congress who was considered a possible future Speaker of the House. De Blasio has embraced his role as a frequent critic of President Trump and has refused to meet with him since he moved into the White House. But the president is popular in Republican strongholds like Staten Island, where candidates in last month's GOP congressional primary fought over who was more closely aligned with Trump.