Williamsburgers Not All Trustafarians
New York has written a researched rebuttal to the Times’ piece Parents Pulling the Plug on Williamsburg Trust-Funders. Turns out we’re not all trust-funders…. a fact that I’m all too well aware of:
The median income for the area in the last twelve months was $39,663, well below the city median of $48,631. In 2007, 38.3 percent of residents in the 11211 Zip Code were below the poverty level [...]
Local soup kitchens and food pantries are overwhelmed. ‚”We’re serving 200 people a week,” says Ann Kansfield, pastor at the Greenpoint Reform Church and the head of the Greenpoint Interfaith Food Team, which serves both Greenpoint and Williamsburg. ‚”Where are these trust-funders? I want them to give us money!”
There’s probably a reason the trustafarians are so elusive: In the last twelve months only about 2.9 percent of Williamsburg households made over $200,000 annually. The reality of Williamsburg, beyond the mythical trust-funders, is that it is a community of people mostly struggling to get by, with a few wealthy residents grabbing headlines ‚Äî the way New York has always been.
“New York(s)” rebuttal is using failed logic. Trustfunders are funded by their parents therefore their reportable income (ie the stat that they use) will be minimal to none. As the NYT article reports these are people who can’t even work a full 8 hour shift. If anything trustfunders bring an areas reportable income level down as they are depending on their parents income not their own.
At the same time I have no doubt that food and soup pantries are hurting due to lack of city funded resources and less money being donated by private donors on top of an increasing unemployment rate.
As a low paid civil servant I understand the defensiveness but keep in mind they are reporting on a obnoxious part of the burg that the times caters to. They did an article on the trustfunders parents a while back talking about the struggles of Greenwich and having to by $20 bottles of wine.
agree with above and further what do those kids even need to make/spend to maintain their fauxhemian lives. i’ve met 30 year olds out there with part time jobs as bus boys and bar backs that have iphones and mac book airs. they make just enought to cover their $500 bucks a month share of the rent and bills and all the rest goes to booze, cigarettes, food, and american apparel. all their adult concerns are still floated by by mommy and daddy. god forbid little jimmy doesn’t have insurance or a data plan.
The comment about this article having failed logic is correct, however I agree with the idea being presented by the article. Trust fund kids are a complete anomaly. In my four years living in this area I have yet to meet one. Those who have money are usually involved in Media Production. I believe, with time, enough positive contributions will be made by the brilliant youth of New York City, that these petty stereotypes will be of less importance.