The NYT had a piece on efforts to address inequality at the local level which might have left readers with the impression that there is little that cities can do. The only economist quoted in the piece was Edward Glaeser, who was very dismissive of the idea that cities could do anything that would have much impact.

It would have been useful to include the views of University of Massachusetts economist Arin Dube or Berkeley economist Michael Reich, both of whom have done extensive work on state and local minimum wages. Reich recently co-authored a book on the impact of local measures in helping low-income workers.