pjbooks Chapter 190 The Shadow of Prosperity
Chapter 190 The Shadow of Prosperity
Pittsburgh City Hall, second-floor conference room.
Today is a special day; it's Christmas.
But there was no Christmas tree, no colored lights, and no laughter of exchanging gifts in the room.
On the long table in the center of the conference room, there was a pile of documents as high as a city wall.
Ethan sat at one end of the table, his tie around his neck, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing bulging veins on his forearms.
His eyes were fixed on the three monitors in front of him, and he held a red pen, constantly marking up the paper documents. Opposite him, Marcus Thorne sat cross-legged in a swivel chair.
His laptop, covered in stickers, rested on his lap, his fingers flying across the keyboard at an astonishing speed.
Besides the two of them, there were five or six other young people in the room, the first recipients of the "Pittsburgh Future Leaders Scholarship." Several veteran city hall employees were also present, watching this group of young people, who seemed to be on steroids, with eyes full of awe. A girl majoring in law was engrossed in studying the Pennsylvania Comprehensive Code, while another finance student was helping Marcus with data cleaning, organizing raw data from different cities into an analytical format.
They were excited, even somewhat fanatical.
For these students who haven't even graduated yet, the opportunity to participate in designing a two-billion-dollar federal bill is like letting a kid who's just learned to drive a go-kart drive an Formula 1 car.
"This isn't right."
Marcus suddenly spoke up.
"Ethan, look at page 402, about the conversion factor."
"According to the current model, if we include Yili's steel transportation costs, the cash flow recovery rate will be lower than the Federal Audit Office's benchmark."
Ethan cursed and grabbed the calculator to recalculate.
"Damn it, you're right."
Ethan rubbed his bloodshot eyes.
"We need to redo the entire risk assessment module, taking into account the interest income from the reserve fund to cover this cost."
This is their Christmas job.
The text of the National Strategic Supply Chain Resilience and Regional Industrial Upgrading Act has been largely finalized, but before the two billion dollars can actually be delivered to Capitol Hill, Leo's team must first overcome a technical hurdle.
Congressional Budget Office.
On the surface, this institution is not affiliated with any political party and is composed of a group of top bureaucrats with degrees in economics or public policy.
Their sole responsibility is to calculate the impact of each bill on the federal deficit over the next ten years.
The Congressional Budget Office has only two conclusions: a red score or a green score.
If the Congressional Budget Office's results show that the bill will lead to a net increase in the federal deficit over the next decade, the report will be labeled a "red-point" report.
In the Senate, any ordinary bill that would lead to an increase in the deficit is likely to be blocked by "lengthy speeches".
The opposition party can exploit this procedural rule by taking turns reading from the phone book, indefinitely delaying the vote until the billing party gives up. To stop this cheating, the consent of all sixty senators is required.
With Democrats holding a slim majority, Leo and Murphy would have to make deep compromises with Republicans to secure 60 votes. However, if the Congressional Budget Office deems the bill "budget-neutral" and even capable of reducing the deficit through future tax increases, it could garner "green points."
Under the U.S. Budget Reform Act of 1974, any specific bill involving the budget, taxes, and debt limits can initiate a process called the "budget reconciliation process."
Under this procedure, the bill will exempt the obstruction of "lengthy speeches" from the requirement of 60 votes, and will only need a simple majority of 51 votes to pass.
In the evenly matched Senate, those nine votes are the difference between heaven and hell.
The job of everyone in this office now is to transform this bill, which looks like a crazy money-spending spree, into a fiscal miracle that can earn "green points" through sophisticated financial models and linguistic packaging.
Leo walked into the conference room carrying several huge takeout boxes.
The aroma of steaming hot pizza instantly dispelled the suffocating tension in the room.
"take a break."
Leo forcibly cleared a space on the table and placed the pizza on it.
"This is a Christmas feast, although it only includes Italian sausage and double cheese."
Ethan looked up and glanced at the clock on the wall.
Four o'clock in the afternoon.
"We don't have time for a fancy meal, boss," Ethan said. "We're too pressed for time."
"You need to be well-fed to have a sharp mind."
Leo patted Ethan on the shoulder and handed Marcus a can of Coke.
"That five hundred million dollars is not going anywhere."
Marcus took the Coke.
"Remember the framework we've established," Leo reminded everyone. "At its core is patriotism and national security. We need to convince everyone reviewing this document that investing in Pittsburgh is buying insurance for America's future."
"And don't forget to cut the cake."
"Marcus, you need to calculate the price for those swing voters."
"We need to make them feel like they've gotten a good deal, but at the same time, we can't let the public think this is a spoils-sharing party."
"These transfers of benefits are packaged as necessary costs for regional coordinated development."
Leo looked at the two people he had entrusted with important tasks, his eyes filled with trust.
"I know it's difficult, almost like walking a tightrope."
"But if this were easy, we wouldn't be doing it."
"This is your responsibility."
Leo straightened the collar of his coat.
I need to go out for a bit.
"Where to?" Ethan asked vaguely. "There's a video conference with the Utilities Department tonight."
"It's cancelled."
Leo walked to the door.
"Frank sent me three text messages. Margaret roasted a huge turkey, and if we don't go, she'll throw it at the entrance of City Hall."
"Give my regards to Margaret," Ethan sighed. "Tell her that once I've settled this score, I'll go eat the leftovers." Leo pushed open the door and walked out of the conference room.
The lobby on the first floor of the city hall was empty.
The security guard was sitting in his booth, watching a rugby game on a small TV.
Leo pushed open the heavy door and stepped into the cold winter of Pittsburgh.
The snow has stopped, but the wind is still very strong.
Leo tightened his coat and prepared to walk towards the parking lot.
Just then, a figure emerged from the shadows.
She was a young girl.
She was wearing an old down jacket, her hands in her pockets, her neck hunched, and she looked rather thin in the cold wind.
Elena Rodriguez.
The girl who vehemently criticized Leo at the awards ceremony is now his appointed special community advisor.
"Elena?"
Leo was somewhat surprised.
"What are you doing here? It's Christmas today."
Elena looked up, her face flushed red from the wind.
"I know today is Christmas."
"I want to see if our mayor is hiding in his warm office, drinking champagne with his staff, celebrating victories that only exist on reports."
"We're working," Leo explained, "on a two-billion-dollar appropriations bill."
Two billion US dollars.
Elena repeated the number, her tone laced with sarcasm.
"That sounds like a lot. How many turkeys could that buy? How much rent could that cover?"
She took a step forward and stared intently at Leo.
"Mayor, you said on TV that Pittsburgh is reviving. You said the workers are richer and the streets are prettier."
"You're sitting in that office, looking at the PowerPoint presentation Ethan made for you, looking at the growth rate Marcus calculated for you."
"You feel like you saved this city."
Elena turned around and pointed to the distant street.
"But have you really seen Pittsburgh as it is now?"
Leo frowned.
"Elena, didn't we already discuss the community issue?"
"You've already talked? In the office?"
Elena gave a cold laugh.
"Mr. Mayor, I don't think that's thorough enough. You only listened to my report and looked at my data, but you didn't see it with your own eyes." "Not Pittsburgh when you cut the ribbon, nor Pittsburgh as you saw it from your car window."
"It's Pittsburgh, bleeding and frozen in the shadow of your revival plan."
"What are you trying to say?"
"Come with me."
Elena didn't explain further.
"My car is over there. If you dare, come with me."
"Many of my neighbors can't celebrate the holidays, and I want to show you why."
Leo glanced at his watch.
He looked into Elena's stubborn eyes.
"it is good."
Leo nodded.
"lead the way."
The two arrived at the parking lot.
Elena was driving a used Ford sedan with a loud engine noise and a broken heater.
The train carriage was as cold as an icebox.
Leo sat in the passenger seat, wrapped his coat tighter around himself, and watched the street scene rushing past the window.
They crossed the Mononga Hilla River and arrived in Brooklyn.
This area was once the most chaotic Latino neighborhood in Pittsburgh.
Drugs, shootings, and poverty are the labels associated with this place.
But now, the streets are clean, the streetlights have been repaired, and the garbage heaps on the street corners are gone.
Several trendy cafes and galleries have opened in the storefronts facing the street.
This is the achievement that Leo is proud of.
He reduced the crime rate here by 70 percent, making it safe and livable.
The car stopped in front of an old red-brick apartment building.
Old furniture was piled up haphazardly on the sidewalk.
A sofa with a hole in it, several chairs with broken legs, a mattress with a missing corner, and several black plastic bags stuffed with clothes and miscellaneous items.
Snow began to fall from the sky.
Snowflakes fell on the mattress and slowly melted into dirty water stains.
A man wearing a thin jacket was squatting by the roadside, smoking a cigarette.
Beside him was a woman holding a baby and a little girl who was only five or six years old.
The little girl held a dirty rag doll in her arms and stared blankly at the street.
Those were evicted tenants.
On Christmas Day.
"This is called capital cleansing."
Elena sat in the car, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.
"You fixed the road, drove away the drug dealers, and made this neighborhood safe."
"That's a good thing, right?"
"But what was the result?"
"As a result, the land here became valuable."
"Landlords have discovered that instead of renting their properties to these poor people, they can renovate them and rent them to engineers attracted by their port projects, and to tech workers who work at Google and Uber."
"They can afford three times the rent."
Elena pointed to the family of three.
"The man's name is Jose. He works on a construction site. Although he's not a permanent employee, he's quite hardworking. He's lived here for eight years." "Last week, the landlord informed him that the rent had increased from eight hundred to eighteen thousand."
"He can't afford it."
"So, he got kicked out."
Even on Christmas Day, even if it's snowing outside.
"This is your prosperity, Mr. Mayor."
Elena turned her head and stared intently at Leo.
"You saved this city; you made Pittsburgh beautiful and attractive."
"But you are driving the people out of this city."
"You're clearing out the original residents like garbage to make room for new immigrants who are earning high salaries."
"This is crueler than poverty."
Leo looked out the window.
The little girl seemed to feel cold and snuggled closer to her mother.
Leo felt as if his heart was being squeezed tightly by a hand.
He opened the car door and got out.
They walked up to the family.
Leo took out his wallet and pulled out all the cash inside, which was probably several hundred dollars.
He tried to hand the money to the man named Jose.
José recognized him.
He looked at the money handed to him but didn't take it.
He shook his head.
“I don’t need charity, Mr. Mayor,” Jose said. “It’s not your fault. You’ve made Pittsburgh a better place, you’ve brought jobs here.” The man looked down at his rough hands.
"I was kicked out simply because I wasn't good enough; I couldn't find a job that I could afford the rent."
"Achoo!"
A sneeze interrupted him.
The little girl squatting next to her rubbed her nose and buried her face deeply in her mother's arms.
The snowflakes landed on her thin jacket and melted quickly.
Jose was stunned.
He looked at his trembling daughter, and his eyes instantly welled up with tears.
A man's pride crumbled in the face of his daughter's sneeze.
He reached out his trembling hand and took the money Leo offered.
"Thank you... thank you, Mr. Mayor."
The man's voice was trembling with sobs.
Leo turned around and looked at Elena standing by the car.
"Elena, you need to understand."
"I don't know how long you've been here, but five years ago, this street was drug dealers' domain, and there were gunshots every night. That little girl wasn't even afraid to go out and play during the day."
"The rent was cheap back then, only three hundred dollars, but the price was my life."
"No one dares to invest here, no one dares to open a shop here, this is a dead end."
"I've made this place safe and commercially viable."
"But development always comes at a price."
Leo tried to explain, attempting to build a defense using rational logic.
"When a neighborhood improves, property prices will inevitably rise; this is an economic law."
"We can't let this place rot forever and remain a slum just because we're afraid of rent increases."
"I didn't mean to drive them away."
"I am saving this community."
"Save the community?" Elena sneered. "You're saving the houses, not the people."
"You fixed the house, but the person is gone."
"If this is your logic, then what's the difference between you and those Wall Street vampires?"
"That's what they say too, for efficiency, for added value, for the damn laws of economics."
Leo fell silent.
He looked at the old furniture covered in snow.
Those pieces of furniture were the only traces of this family's life, and now they've become roadside trash.
He remembered his original intention.
He ran for office to make life better for these people.
But now, his success has become a nightmare for these people.
This is a paradox.
A paradox that no city manager can escape.
To achieve revitalization, capital and high-income earners need to be introduced. However, the influx of capital will inevitably drive up the cost of living and squeeze the living space of the original inhabitants. The more successful he is, the faster this process will be.
He is creating new injustice with his own hands.
"Mr. President."
"I asked myself," Leo thought to himself.
"Is this the only way out?"
Roosevelt's voice was heavy.
"Yes, Leo."
"That's the cruel reality of progress."
"When a train speeds up, some people will always be left off the train."
"You can't put everyone in first class."
"However, this does not mean you can turn a blind eye."
"That doesn't mean you can comfortably attribute all of this to economic laws."
"You are the mayor."
"If the invisible hand of the market is killing people, you must use your visible hand to hold them up."
"You can't stop rents from rising, that's a market phenomenon, but you can build shelters."
"You can make the rules."
"That's why you need power."
Leo took a deep breath.
"Elena".
Leo looked at the angry girl.
"you're right."
"Before, my eyes were only on those grand figures, those budgets, and those cranes."
"I thought that as long as the pie was made bigger, everyone could get a share."
"I was wrong."
"Some people's arms are too short to reach the table."
"Some people are too weak and will be pushed off the table."
Leo pointed to the apartment building.
"To be honest, rent control legislation and affordable housing programs are all in Ethan's plans."
"But according to the original schedule, they are scheduled for next year, or even the year after."
"I didn't expect Pittsburgh to develop so quickly."
"I underestimated the side effects of prosperity."
Leo looked at Elena.
"So, we need to move up the time now."
"Bring your tenant alliance to my office at nine o'clock tomorrow morning."
"Bring your data, your demands, and all your anger."
"Let's talk about how to shift the bill for this development from you to those who should pay it."
Elena was stunned.
She had assumed that Leo would, like other politicians, say a few nice words and then leave.
Or give her a bad check.
But Leo was talking about legislation, quotas, funds, and specific policy tools.
"Are you serious?" Elena looked at him suspiciously.
"I'm very serious."
Riora opened the car door.
"I can't save everyone, and I can't defy the laws of economics."
"But at least I can build them a breakwater."
"So that they won't be swept away immediately when the wave comes."
Leo got into the car.
"besides."
Leo rolled down the car window.
"Don't let that family sleep on the streets tonight."
"There's a temporary shelter at the city hall. The conditions aren't great, but at least it has heating."
"Go and make the arrangements; I'll cover the costs."
Elena looked at Leo's profile.
"Thanks."
Elena's voice softened, and she sighed.
Actually, nobody wants to leave.
Even though this place is dilapidated, even though it's freezing cold in winter, this is home.
"If people can find a place to live, no one would want to leave their hometown."
"Stay here..."
Leo repeated those words.
Suddenly, a flash of lightning struck his mind.
He suddenly turned his head and looked out at the pitch-black night.
In that instant, what he saw was no longer the streets of Brooklyn, but a map spread out across the northeastern United States.
What is Pittsburgh facing now?
On the one hand, the injection of $500 million, plus a future $2 billion in federal funding, will turn the city into a giant construction site. The port will be expanded, communities will be renovated, and factories will start operations.
This requires people.
It requires a massive workforce.
But Pittsburgh's population has been declining over the past few decades.
The current labor market is already stretched to its limit.
Frank was complaining yesterday that even with high salaries, it was difficult to recruit enough skilled welders and construction workers.
On the other hand, with the influx of capital, prices and rents began to rise.
Local low-income groups are feeling the pressure to survive and even face the risk of being squeezed out.
This is a contradiction.
Prosperity brings opportunities, but it also brings exclusion.
But what if we broaden our perspective?
What if we step outside of Pittsburgh, outside of Allegheny County, or even outside of Pennsylvania?
Leo's gaze seemed to pierce the horizon, looking towards Ohio to the west and Michigan to the north.
There's Cleveland, there's Detroit, there's Toledo, there's Youngstown.
Those cities are still struggling in the mire of decline.
The factories there are still closed, workers are unemployed, and young people are fighting tooth and nail for minimum wage jobs.
There are thousands of workers like José, hardworking and skilled, yet unable to find work.
"Mr. President."
Leo asked in his mind, his voice tinged with barely suppressed excitement.
"I can't extend Pittsburgh's administrative boundaries into Ohio, and I can't meddle in Detroit's affairs."
"But I can attract people from there, right?"
"Since capital can flow across states, and goods can be transported across states."
"So, people can also move around."
Roosevelt laughed.
"certainly!"
"Child, you've finally figured out the key to the matter."
"Human mouth".
"What you need to do is not just retain the people you have now."
"You're also going to launch a plunder of the workforce."
Roosevelt's voice became more spirited.
"Think about California during World War II."
"Back then, the West was just desert and orchards. But when the war broke out, when shipyards and aircraft factories needed workers, millions of Southern farmers, those Okki who had lost everything in the dust storms, migrated there with their families."
"Are they there for the sunshine, for the beach?"
"No, they're doing it for work."
"California took them in, offered them jobs, and provided them with housing."
"As a result, California transformed from an agricultural state into the country's most powerful industrial base and population center."
"Now, it's your turn."
"Look around you."
"The entire Rust Belt is bleeding, Detroit is bleeding, Cleveland is bleeding. There are plenty of skilled industrial workers there, they are technically proficient, experienced, and hardworking."
"But their city abandoned them."
"They're flowing south, to Texas, to Florida, to those sunny places to work as waiters, as Uber drivers." "It's a huge waste."
"You must stop this flow."
"You must reverse this trend."
"You want to turn Pittsburgh into a giant magnet."
"You need to tell all the blue-collar workers in America: Stop going south to wait tables, come to Pittsburgh!"
"Here are factories, docks, construction, and your future."
"We want to make Pittsburgh the only blue-collar haven in the United States."
Leo's breathing quickened; it was a crazy and grand idea.
If the previous Renaissance Alliance was merely utilizing the production capacity of other cities...
So now, he wants to directly drain the population of those cities.
"Is this feasible?" Leo asked. "Would they be willing to come?"
"Of course I'm willing," Roosevelt said firmly.
"If you can offer me a job."
"If you can control the rent, you can provide affordable housing."
"Vocational training and profit sharing can be provided through workers' cooperatives."
"For a worker who has been unemployed in Detroit for two years and is watching his house get foreclosed on, Pittsburgh is paradise." "As long as you open the door and spread the word."
"They will come in like a tide."
"And think about what this means for your political future."
"These new immigrants, these people you rescued from despair."
"When they settle down in Pittsburgh, when they receive their first paycheck, when their children go to the schools you built," "they will become your most loyal and devoted fans."
"You will completely change the demographics of western Pennsylvania."
"You will have a large army of voters who belong to you."
"By then, you'll be able to hold your position as mayor, or even governor."
Ambition gleamed in Leo's eyes.
This is a conspiracy.
A well-intentioned strategy that uses development to resolve contradictions and uses incremental growth to cover existing problems.
Since there aren't enough local resources to go around, let's expand the pool.
Since local rents are rising, we should absorb more people and create more wealth to offset these costs through larger-scale construction.
He wants to launch a modern version of the "Western Development".
This time, however, the destination was not the West, but Pittsburgh.
"Elena".
Leo suddenly spoke.
How many people are in your tenant alliance right now?
Elena was taken aback, wondering why Leo suddenly asked this.
"Probably a few hundred people, mostly neighbors from the neighborhood."
"That's too little."
Leo shook his head.
"I want you to expand the scale."
"Not just Brooklyn, I want you to connect with all of Pittsburgh, even with those who are still out of town and want to come to Pittsburgh to look for opportunities." "I want you to help me establish a new resident housing service center."
"I will provide you with funding and office space."
"Your task is to help newcomers find affordable housing, connect them with jobs, and help them with their children's schooling."
Elena's eyes widened.
"Are you serious? You want to encourage more people to come?"
"That's right."
Leo looked out the window.
"If there's a shortage of houses, then we'll build more houses."
"If we can't finish the work, then we'll hire more people."
Leo took out his phone and dialed Sarah's number.
"Boss? What happened?"
"Sarah, I need you to adjust the next phase of the promotional strategy."
Leo's voice carried an undeniable decisiveness.
"Stop all those posts about attracting investment."
"We don't need to beg those big companies to invest anymore; capital will come on its own."
"We need to change direction."
We need to hire people.
"I want you to produce a new series of promotional videos and release them in Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia, and every Rust Belt city with high unemployment."
"Tell them that Pittsburgh is short-staffed."
"Tell them that there are construction jobs here that pay thirty dollars an hour, and dock jobs with long-term contracts."
"Tell them that there is rent control, public childcare, and free vocational training here."
"We've changed our slogan."
Leo looked at his reflection in the car window; his eyes were filled with the greed of a predator, but also the pride of a builder.
"It's no longer about reviving Pittsburgh."
"This is where I call home."
"It is the last bastion of the workers."
"I'm going to launch a homecoming campaign."
"Bring all those wandering souls to Pittsburgh."
Sarah was silent for two seconds on the other end of the phone, then burst into a gasp.
"Oh my god, Leo, this is going to overcrowd our city!"
"Then let it explode."
"Leo said coldly."
"Only by exploding can one be reborn."
"Go and get ready, Sarah."
"I want all blue-collar workers in America to know that as long as they have two hands, as long as they want to work."
"Pittsburgh is their Jerusalem."
hang up the phone.
Leo leaned back in his chair.
Elena looked at the young mayor.
She initially thought he just wanted to solve the immediate rent problem.
But he wanted to bring the whole world in.
"You're a madman," Elena muttered to herself.
"Maybe," Leo smiled. "But in this crazy world, only madmen can do great things."
"Mr. President."
Leo thought to himself.
"Since we are going to build an ark..."
"Then let's fill it with people."
"The more the better."
Roosevelt's voice was tinged with laughter.
"That's right."
"When you have the population, you have everything."
"Now, let's see just how much ambition this city can hold."