On December 17 Jason Furman, a Professor of Practice at the Harvard Kennedy School and was Chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, 2013-17 wrote an Opinion in the Wall St Journal.

His article entitled, HOW TO GET AMERICAN MEN BACK INTO THE WORKFORCE, suggested the Government should have the goal of getting people into jobs. He quoted employment rate among men 25-54 has dropped from 96% in the 1950's , to 86% today. is due to men not able to find rewarding work. His solution is to raise wages . This can be achieved through education and training. Drugs and criminal incarceration are some reasons.

Up to this part of his thesis , we agree, but it is the same solution that has failed.

Our Response:

Both political parties look at unemployment and wonder why people are not accepting if Jobs are available, but the Transportation barrier to accepting jobs is widely overlooked.

Syracuse New York has the highest extreme poverty of blacks and Hispanics in the Country. 30% of residents lack access to a car. Job training and jobs are outside the City and potential workers who live in the City cannot get to and from work. Our bus system does not provide services to these areas to enable people to get to or from these training and workplaces.

The status quo is to lament the unemployment and not fix a major barrier to employment.

PROVIDENCE SERVICES HAS BEEN DEVELOPING TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS TO ENHANCE THE SUCCESS OF THE TRAINING AND JOBS PROGRAMS.

Now that there is an option to get people to jobs, don't we owe it to the unemployed and the citizens who pay taxes , to use our program to get people jobs? As Yoda said, "There is no try, only DO".

Let's Do It!