New Bill Launches Inner-City Youth Employment Program

"NY Youth Works" Provides $25 Million in Tax Credits and $62 Million for Job Training

Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed a bill creating "NY Youth Works," an inner city youth employment program that will combat high unemployment in the state's metro areas.

The new law includes $25 million in tax credits for businesses that hire unemployed and disadvantaged youth and $62 million to support job training programs. Cuomo was joined by his colleagues from the Legislature at a bill signing ceremony held at Medgar Evers College of The City University of New York in Brooklyn.

"We are giving young adults in our cities the skills and the opportunity to build a career," Governor Cuomo said.

"With four out of every ten inner city young adults looking for work, our state faces an unemployment crisis within an unemployment crisis that needs to be immediately addressed. Through the NY Youth Works program, we are putting our young people on a career path and preventing a cycle of poverty. This program represents not only an investment in our youth, but an investment in the collective future of our state."

The NY Youth Works program provides $25 million in tax credits to benefit employers that hire unemployed youth over the first six months of 2012, with the ultimate goal of permanent, unsubsidized employment.

NY Youth Works will function in three phases. In the first phase, for up to six weeks before a youth is placed in employment, youth providers, like not-for-profits and workforce investment boards, will prepare eligible youth with skills such as work readiness, occupational training, and digital literacy.

In the second phase, businesses will be offered a $3,000 wage subsidy in the form of tax credits to hire disadvantaged youths for six months. Preference will be given to employers in demand industries such as clean energy, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and conservation.

Priority will be given to employers that provide on-site occupational skills training during this period. During phase one and phase two, participating youth will be provided with up to three monthly stipends of $300 to cover costs associated with transitioning into the workplace.

During the final phase, an additional $1,000 tax credit will be available to employers that retain the participating youths for an additional six months.

Under the new law, $62 million in funding will be provided to critical job training and support programs for inner city youth, including basic education programs, summer youth employment, job search and placement initiatives, and child care.

Eligible participants for the jobs program include unemployed, low-income youth aged 16 through 24 who are located in one of the following areas: Albany, Brookhaven, Buffalo, Hempstead, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, New York City, Rochester, Schenectady, Syracuse, Utica, and Yonkers.

"While Washington is paralyzed by gridlock, we have worked together in New York to advance a plan that instills fairness in our tax code, stimulates New York's economy, and creates jobs. The Assembly Majority has made it a priority to fight for and fund jobs programs for inner city young people because unemployment among our youth is unacceptably high," said Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

"That is why I am so pleased that, with the strong leadership of Governor Cuomo, we were able to include the Inner City Youth Employment Program and tax credit in the larger agreement to cut taxes on working families and create jobs. This is not only about unemployment and the economy, it's also about our children. I am confident our efforts will go far in helping young New Yorkers find good paying jobs and keep them."

"The most worthwhile investments we can make in government are investments in our youth – the future workforce that will carry on this state's legacy of economic vitality and innovation. I'd like to applaud Governor Cuomo for his leadership on this progressive legislation and his strong commitment to an urban agenda," noted New York State Senator John L. Sampson.

"This legislation – including a business tax credit for employers – will ensure that more young people in inner city communities gain useful skills and embark on fulfilling careers. Statistics show that finding employment at a young age helps ensure long term professional success. This legislation sends the right message that we will not ignore the needs of young people in communities that are often overlooked."

"Unemployment among New York youth is at a record high, especially among inner city minority youth. During these difficult times, it is up to government to take the lead in stimulating the economy and creating jobs," added New York State Assemblyman Karim Camara.

"Working with Governor Cuomo and my colleagues in the Legislature, we have developed a series of initiatives to help New Yorkers get back on their feet. I am confident that the NY Youth Works program will go far in helping young New Yorkers secure brighter futures. I encourage businesses to take advantage of these incentives, and I thank Governor Cuomo for his hard work."

"Governor Cuomo's job initiative underscores what he has repeatedly emphasized in his remarks about our state economy – there is nothing New Yorkers need more than jobs, jobs, jobs. We believe that in urban communities like Central Brooklyn, an impactful inner-city youth employment program can create real momentum and stabilization for the local economy," said Dr. William Pollard, President of Medgar Evers College of The City University of New York.

"In turn our young people, who have struggled so noticeably in finding meaningful employment and opportunity, can help drive economic growth and local competitiveness. Governor Cuomo's NY Youth Works program is welcome news for both businesses and young job seekers and I applaud the Governor for making the future of our inner-city youth a priority and legislative focus."

Even in a robust economy, younger workers have higher levels of unemployment than those aged 35 and older. Recent unemployment levels have escalated to all-time highs as a result of the prolonged economic downturn of the past few years. According to the Department of Labor, unemployment among the state's youth is more than 25 percent, with minority youth facing unemployment rates of up to 40 percent.

The new inner city youth employment program and tax credit is part of Governor Cuomo's comprehensive New York Works Agenda, which was passed by the Legislature earlier this week.

The New York Works Agenda will create thousands of jobs and grow the state's economy with investments in New York's infrastructure, a new fair tax reform plan that achieves the first major restructuring of the tax code in decades, a tax cut for 4.4 million middle class New Yorkers, additional relief for areas devastated by recent floods, and a reduction of the MTA payroll tax to provide relief for small businesses.

Matt Drudge and the New N-Word: "Urban"

Has "The Drudge Report" Created a Buzz Word for Covert Racists, the Mainstream Media and Politicians?

Folks, let me be very clear about one thing. I don't back down from a fight, no matter how big the opponent. Case in point, the iconic Matt Drudge and his news juggernaut, "The Drudge Report". I have a great deal of respect for the man and the news empire he has built over the last decade or so. Drudge may be the news industry's Goliath, but I have the heart of David.

Unlike Drudge, I don't have a staff and operate as a one-man army -- putting in as many as 40 hours posting articles, placing follow-up calls for stories, calling sources, setting up exclusive interviews and creating original news content without earning a dime. This independent news and information source is my passion, and if "From The G-Man" is fortunate enough to one day compete with the Drudge Report, in terms of readership and profit, it will be quite an accomplishment.

Having said that, I would be remiss if I didn't express my displeasure over a number of articles that were published on his website over the Memorial Day weekend. I didn't take issue with his reporting of rioting and violence by bad-ass teens raising hell all across the country. That's what I expect him to do. What I had a serious problem with was the use of the word "urban" to describe the majority of the people causing the disturbances.

It's no secret that the term urban has always been used to refer to people living in certain areas of a metropolis, usually those of low-income or poor status. As time progressed, these areas became overwhelmingly inhabited by people of color and the negative stereotypes soon followed. Keep those last three words in mind -- people of color -- because they will be very important by the end of this commentary.

The articles that appeared on the front page of the Drudge Report on May 30th showed Black people taking part in criminal acts. Let me say it one more time. I have no problem with that. If you catch dumb-asses doing wrong, report it, no matter what color they are. However, what raised my suspicion, and level of concern, was the fact that the word urban appeared three times, in three different articles, on the same front page!

Now, based on my experience as a journalist, that's a major no-no. It's considered overkill, and the only reason anyone would do it is to stress a point or implant a thought. Drudge and his editors could've simply referred to the participants as roving gangs or thugs. Even mobsters are called thugs. Thus, I'm forced to wonder what Matt Drudge's motive was for using the term three times in three different front page stories. I have a theory, and I really hope I'm wrong about it. Hopefully, "The Drudgester" will reach out to me and explain, if he cares to.

I believe the word was repeated in three different front page stories as a psychological tool to suggest to his readers, whom are predominately Caucasian, that when you see or hear the word urban, you are to immediately assume two things: it refers to Blacks and that they're a bunch of unruly, violent savages.

Again, I hope this was not what Drudge intended. There are far too many people in this country that are Drudge Report loyalists and believers of the news-gospel it spreads. If it was intended, then his website has ventured outside the realm and true spirit of journalism and into a dark and extremely dangerous place, and "David" is using this commentary as his sling.

Given the fact that people know me as a straight-shooter, let me go even further, since -- according to a recent feature on Drudge that appeared in the New York Times -- the national media and politicians are greatly influenced by what's published on the Drudge Report.

Matt Drudge has given every American politician, media personality, and citizen that loathes Black people a new buzz word for "conservative" discussions about not only the horrifying Memorial Day incidents, but Black culture, in general.

Racist analysts, commentators and pundits can't refer to the groups cited in these news reports by what they really want to call them, out of control NIGGERS, and -- whether he realizes it or not --Drudge has given them a back-door to escape any claim of being racist whenever they discuss these matters. Mark my words, with youth unemployment at a record high across the country, especially among those of color, and teens with no outlet for their anger and frustration, discussions about growing incidents of weekend or holiday violence will be had in the months to come. I suspect July 4th is going to be a bitch!

The biggest danger posed by the urban-Black connection, which I believe was inadvertently made on the Drudge Report postings, is this: Pictures of people were posted that may not have been Black! Those pictured may have had Black skin or "looked Black", whatever the hell that means, but it's a well-known fact that people of Latin origin have dark skin. Cubans and Dominicans are perfect examples. Thus, the captions, headlines and photos may not necessarily reflect those being showcased. This is where the national media, including you, Mr. Drudge, needs to be very, very careful. This is not about political correctness. It's about code words and the damage that can be inflicted by improperly assessing one's character or group affiliation.

I'll close with a public challenge to Matt Drudge, politicians from both parties, 2012 presidential candidates and the national media. If you're going to start breaking these types of stories, or having town hall discussions about the fact that the "Summer of Hell" is upon us -- citing these criminal-minded, lazy, saggy-pants-wearing, unintelligent, welfare-loving, unruly "Black" people as a serious threat to this great nation -- then, at the very least, have the balls to start breaking stories and having serious discussions about how precious and protected "Wall Street White-Boys" are also playing a pivotal role in America's downfall....and getting away with it.

This commentary is from the heart and.....From The G-Man.

Matt Drudge photo source: wikinfo.org

Permission: GNU Free Documentation License 1.3 and the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license