Crains New York - August 20, 2012 - (Page 6)

THE Dreamers, businesses cheer INSIDER as deferred action clocks in Immigration policy shift seen as boost to talent pool, economy BY DANIEL MASSEY Since arriving in New York from South Korea as a 15-year-old, Emily Park has taken whatever jobs she could find—cashier, receptionist, interpreter, tutor. She graduated from college but had little hope of getting very far because she is undocumented. Now, with changes in immigration policy that took effect last week, Ms. Park, 23, is thinking about a career in public health or bioethics. “Finally, I get to use my college degree to do something I want,” said the Queens resident, who majored in neuroscience at Queens College. “I’m going to be able to build my career instead of working day-to-day jobs.” The Obama administration announced last spring that undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. under the age of 16, and who meet several guidelines,can apply for so-called deferred action, which will allow them to remain in the country without fear of deportation for two years, subject to renewal. They would also be eligible to work legally. Nancy Ploeger, president of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce. It will enable businesses to hire people like Mubashar Ahmed, a 23year-old Staten Islander about to graduate from the City College of New York with a degree in chemical engineering. In the past, when the Pakistani native spoke with his career adviser, he was told to make a list of companies he’d want to work for abroad because he would not be able to work UP TO 60,000 undocumented New Yorkers have new hope. here legally. Now he is planning to submit his paperwork to U.S. CitiThe move, expected to affect up zenship and Immigration Services to 60,000 undocumented immi- and to look for companies locally to grants in New York City,was round- pursue a career in renewable energy. “Going abroad would have meant ly applauded by local business leaders, immigration advocates and giving up on my life here—my work, elected officials, who said it would my research, my family,” he said. help boost the city’s economy, “Now I’m able to not only continue though they all cautioned that the to support my community and famichange only scratched the surface of ly,but also to do what I love over here. what needs to be done to make the It’s definitely a newfound hope.” Tens of thousands of New Yorkcity and nation more competitive. ers like Mr. Ahmed are expected to Diving in follow his path. More than 1,200 “Allowing deferred action will showed up last week at a deferredenable young people to seek out em- action information session organployment and offers businesses a ized by the New York Immigration See IMMIGRANTS on Page 19 larger pool of legal employees,” said by Andrew J. Hawkins and Shane Dixon Kavanaugh newscom T Threading the needle on Medicare he selection of Rep. Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney’s running mate has made the wonkish Wisconsinite’s Medicare plan a central campaign theme in New York’s congressional races. In Staten Island, volunteers for Democrat Mark Murphy (above right) have been phoning seniors without even mentioning his opponent—Rep. Mike Grimm (above left)—by name. “With radical politicians like Paul Ryan trying to privatize Medicare and jeopardize the health of seniors, Murphy will fight for seniors by protecting and strengthening Social Security,” their script reads. Democratic Rep. Kathy Hochul’s surprise victory in a GOP-heavy upstate district last year was powered by her hanging Mr. Ryan’s Medicare reforms around her opponent’s neck. This year, Republicans are trying to turn the tables. Ms. Hochul’s opponent, Chris Collins, has avoided commenting on the Ryan plan while attacking the incumbent over her party’s vote to help pay for “Obamacare” by slowing Medicare’s projected growth. “That’s right—she’s the only candidate in this race who voted to cut Medicare—by $700 billion,” Mr. Collins wrote in a fundraising appeal. GOP consultant Bill O’Reilly said Republican candidates shouldn’t be afraid of the Medicare issue, despite the persistent drumbeat from Democrats that Mr. Ryan’s voucher plan would end the program “as we know it.” “If you’re not proactively trying to save the entitlements, you’re proactively destroying them,” Mr. O’Reilly said. But trusting voters to understand the Ryan plan’s nuances, he admitted, would be “a leap of faith.” It’s a leap that many Republicans in tight races across the state concede they must make. “Doing nothing is not an option,” said an operative with the Grimm campaign. “We are willing to step up to the plate and have a serious discussion on how to save Medicare. Ryan’s budget is a starting point.” Rep. Nan Hayworth went further. In an interview with CNN last week, the Hudson Valley Republican praised Mr. Ryan’s reforms. Her opponent, Sean Patrick Maloney, is accusing her of CRAIN’S Business Breakfast Forum: wanting to “end Medicare.” Meet De Blasio not sustaina-Bill? Transportation Alternatives Executive Director Paul Steely White knocked Public Advocate Bill de Blasio for promising to slow the rollout of the Bloomberg administration’s new street designs. In the advocacy group’s magazine, Mr. White reacted Bill de Blasio with a “Yikes!” to Mr. de Blasio’s talk of a more “incremental” approach to bike lanes and pedestrian plazas, a component of the mayor’s sustainability plan. “What’s worse is that Bill is a good guy, a neighbor of mine and, until recently, a livable-streets stalwart,” he wrote, adding that critics of the new designs have “an outdated view of our streets.” A de Blasio campaign spokeswoman said, “Bill supports making our neighborhoods’ streets safer—that’s always been the case. But he takes a more communityfocused approach to these issues than the mayor.” Joseph Lhota CHAIRMAN AND CEO, MTA Join Crain’s New York Business for a discussion with Joseph Lhota, Chairman and CEO, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Mr. Lhota will discuss the MTA’s mounting debt, the upcoming fare hike and his plans to upgrade the nation’s largest transit system. He will be questioned by Crain’s Assistant Managing Editor Erik Engquist and another journalist from the media. DATE: Wednesday September 12, 2012 PLACE: The Plaza 768 5th Avenue TIME: Networking Breakfast: 8:00 - 8:30AM Program: 8:30 - 9:30AM SPONSORED BY: COST TO ATTEND: $95 for individual ticket(s). $950 for table(s) of ten (10). You must be pre-registered to attend this event. No refunds permitted. Pre-register online by going to crainsnewyork.com/events. For more information, call the Events Hotline at 212-210-0739. REGISTER HERE: www.crainsnewyork.com/events-jlhota HOST SPONSOR: For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Trish Henry at 212-210-0711 or thenry@crainsnewyork.com For daily political and government news, subscribe to CRAIN’S INSIDER @ www.crainsnewyork.com/insider 6 | Crain’s New York Business | August 20, 2012 http://www.crainsnewyork.com/events http://www.crainsnewyork.com/events-jlhota http://www.crainsnewyork.com/events-jlhota http://www.crainsnewyork.com/insider

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Crains New York - August 20, 2012

Crains New York - August 20, 2012
Contents
In the Boroughs
In the Markets
The Insider
Opinion
Alair Townsend
From Around the City
Report: Real Estate
Real Estate Deals
The List: Top Airlines
Classifieds
New York, New York
Source Lunch
Out and About
Snaps

Crains New York - August 20, 2012