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Jack Schnirman
Former County Comptroller | Nassau County, NY

This Is Nassau

Idea Category: Smart Government

Problem

Minority communities experience inequities in entrepreneurship, educational attainment, employment, income, homeownership, and access to credit. However, policymakers lack understanding of the scope of the issue and therefore do not have adequate solutions to address it. County residents pay some of the highest taxes in the country and they expect government services to reflect the price tag. As our population changes, and becomes older and more diverse, government must change with it to meet the needs of the new demographics and retain the next generation. The This Is Nassau report series explores the changing demographics of our county and raises policy questions about how government must respond to better serve our changing populations.

Solution

Our recently launched Policy and Research Unit is designed to produce reports to inform the public and our local policymakers on demographic trends and racial economic equity. Whether at the village, town, county, state, or federal level, reports and public engagement meetings are the groundwork to much-needed action.