The trucking scandal is apparently taking a lot of energy out the Mayor. While being cynical about the Mayor is generally correct and he has a tough hide when it comes to criticism, this one seems to be draining him according to some around him.
In response, he is looking to propose a major social service project/agency push to address joblessness and homelessness. Certainly some of it is to change the subject, but this is also a guy who takes on thankless tasks such as school reform. Leaving a legacy also plays an important part in the Mayor’s thinking.
Reported to me: The shocker: most of the agencies are faith-based.
I’m not sure this is a shocker. The Mayor has long worked on getting black ministers on his side and has used them as a conduit for several initatives. And that makes sense–in many of the most decimated communities the only institution still standing is the church. While appropriate concerns exist over proselytizing on the public dime, I have generally found that in such neighborhoods, proselytizing is well behind survival.