Spot on. Also run by authoritarian thugs drunk on power.
# 31 beat me to it (regarding money); the authoritarians can do it in NYC because they are dealing with a population (the natives, not the commuters from surrounding areas) who moved there specifically to have big gubmint run their lives/make their decisions for them (while also fixing the sink, shoveling the snow, providing “free” meals for the students, etc.).
There are more people in gubmint housing in NYC alone than in some STATES.