Hochul’s Shoplifting Hoax

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Friend,

For nearly four years, news outlets breathlessly reported on a surge in organized retail theft. It was alarming, it was scary, and now we know, it never happened. Even after the National Retail Foundation was forced to sheepishly retract their claims, few of the retail giants or media outlets that helped manufacture the national shoplifting crisis have been held to account.

Unfortunately, as we showed in our op-ed earlier this week, Governor Hochul continues to bank on the fearmongering. As the state struggles to fund schools, libraries, and other basic services, Hochul has secured a $45 million funding commitment to address the shoplifting surge that never was.

It’s true that cities saw increases in certain crimes in 2020. Elected officials seized the opportunity to direct even more funding toward police and surveillance, but crime rates have fallen naturally as the economy rebounds. Hochul must unwind this police funding stunt and support the social programs that actually make communities safer.

With thanks,
Eleni Manis
Research Director

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NewsletterLeticia MurilloMarch 1, 2024