TOM LEONARD: The city is suffering a crime epidemic so bad even ice cream and laundry detergent are security- tagged in shops, and endless anti-business measures are driving down earnings, but politicians appear more preoccupied by the culture wars: woke causes and green issues, such as air pollution. Yet for all the concern about air quality, the authorities have only themselves to blame for the all-pervasive stench of contraband weed on its streets, a consequence of officials' disastrous tinkering with cannabis legalisation on the grounds of 'racial equity', which has led to the proliferation of 1,400 illicit marijuana shops. And a city that prides itself on being the ultimate temple of capitalism now finds itself with 22 per cent of its office space lying empty, a stunning figure that is likely to get worse following the introduction of a congestion charge of up to $23 (£17.60) for driving into midtown Manhattan. If officials hope the fee will encourage commuters to leave their cars at home and take the subway, they may be in for disappointment. Mail.
