Executive Hearing Schedule for FY 13
Dear Friends,
Executive Budget Hearings will begin on Monday, May 14th 2012, and conclude on Wednesday, June 6th, 2012. I encourage the public to come and join us on the last day of hearings to offer your insights and experience so as to better inform the City Council during our decision-making process. Please keep checking back to the website for summaries of the hearings and indications of next steps.
Sincerely,
Domenic
Schedule of Executive Budget Hearings
Filed under Budget, City Council, Finance, New York City
Councilman Recchia Reacts to the Mayor’s FY 13 Executive Budget
Statement by Domenic M. Recchia, Jr., Chairman City Council Finance Committee, Regarding Mayor Bloomberg’s Executive Budget
CITY HALL– In response to the Mayor’s executive spending plan for fiscal year 2013, the Councilman’s statement is below:
“The decreases in forecasted revenues highlight the continued weakness of our economy. In this context, we need to make prudent budgetary decisions and plan for the long term.
At the same time, it is imperative that we keep the quality of life for New Yorkers at the forefront of our decision-making process. The cuts made to out-of-school time, childcare, and our firehouses have me particularly concerned. Under the leadership of Speaker Quinn, I’m confident that we will once again strike the right balance between fiscal prudence and protecting the vital services that New Yorkers rely on.”
Like this:
Filed under Budget, City Council
Water Main Break on Ocean Parkway and Avenue U- National Grid Update
Dear Friends,
If you reside in Gravesend, many of you are aware of the water main break that occurred on Wednesday on Ocean Parkway and Avenue U. I wanted to update you on what National Grid has discovered and what this means for those who have been affected.
The break affects the area stretching from Avenue T to Avenue Z from East 7th Street to Ocean Parkway and from East 2nd Street to Neck Road. An overflow of water went into the gas line so these areas are without water and gas.
The National Grid team deployed over 300 workers to the neighborhood and made significant progress Wednesday night and all day Thursday. Many sections within the affected area are cleared of water and are ready to be turned back on. Remember, once gas is turned back on, representatives from National Grid’s customer service team will need to go door-to-door to restore full service. If you are a Shabbos observer, National Grid will be respectful and accommodating should they need to enter your home on Friday.
If you are not at home, National Grid will leave a notice on your door. Use the phone number on the notice to call them directly- 718-643-4050 - and National Grid will send someone out right away.
National Grid has restored service to about 467 of 1189 homes that were affected.
Friday morning, I met with officials from National Grid to ride through the areas that were impacted,
Friday morning, I met with officials from National Grid to ride through the areas that were impacted paying special attention to the areas where 680 homes have not yet had service restored. I’m looking to have some more questions answered.
As always, if you need any assistance, please call my office and my staff is happy to help: 718-373-9673, 212-788-7045. Thank you for your cooperation and patience.
Sincerely,
Domenic
Filed under Bensonhurst, Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, Coney Island, Gravesend
NEW YORK CITY’S ANNUAL TAX LIEN SALE
Dear Friends,
New York City’s Annual Tax Lien Sale is getting underway. What is a lien? A lien is a legal claim against real property for unpaid property taxes, water, sewer or other property charges, as well as the interest due on these taxes and charges. Each year, the city sells the debt on these properties to investors rather than owning the debt itself.
Currently, there are 4,010 homes listed on the lien sale list for Brooklyn. If you’ve received a lien sale notice or your property was published on the lien sale list, City records show your property has unpaid debt that will be put up for sale on May 17, 2012. If you’re not sure whether or not your property is on the list, check out the Department of Finance website, download the Brooklyn list, and look for your address: http://on.nyc.gov/ulOIJe
To prevent the sale of a lien on your property, you must pay the debt or enter into a payment agreement by May 17, 2012. No down payment is required for a payment agreement. You may also qualify for one of the following four exemptions: Senior Citizen, Veteran, Disabled, Active Military Personnel. If you qualify and apply by May 17, 2012 for exemption, your property will be removed from the lien sale list. The eligibility check list can be found here: http://on.nyc.gov/HUxpow
Please contact my office if you have any further questions: 212-788-7045. My staff is always happy to help.
Sincerely,
Domenic
Councilman Recchia Calls on Congress to Restore Security Funds for Synagogues in light of Jewish school shooting in Toulouse, France; Commends NYPD vigilance
NEW YORK – Below is Councilman Domenic M. Recchia Jr.’s statement in light of the school shooting in Toulouse, France:
“I was very devastated to learn of the tragedy that has befallen the French city of Toulouse where a rabbi, his two sons, and the daughter of the school principal have been murdered and a young 15-year-old student lies gravely wounded.
My thoughts and prayers go out the Jewish community of Toulouse and to the friends and family of the victims. This attack underscores the omnipresent threat against the Jewish community that exists abroad and even in New York.
I am calling on the United States Congress to restore the $9 million they cut in security funding for synagogues and nonprofits that are at great risk for terrorist attacks. This is vital funding that assists qualified institutions, synagogues, and nonprofit organizations in updating and addressing security concerns especially related to terrorist anti-Semitism.
The New York Police Department, under the leadership of Commissioner Raymond Kelly, deserves to be commended for their vigilance and precautionary efforts of patrols and heightened observance around Jewish neighborhoods and institutions throughout our city. We cannot take any chances.”
Filed under New York City
FREE Tax Prep at Coney Island Library 3/23/12
If you haven’t filed your taxes yet, stop by Coney Island Library this Friday, March 23nd, between 10 am and 5pm to have your taxes filed for FREE.
*To qualify for a free tax filing, see below:
• If filing jointly with a spouse, both of you must be present with photo IDs.
• Social Security cards or ITIN (or copies) for you and your spouse if filing jointly and anyone you are claiming on
your tax return, or a letter from the Social Security Administration.
• W-2s for all jobs you held in 2011.
• Form 1099-G if you received unemployment insurance in 2011.
• Form 1099-INT if you received interest from a bank account in 2011.
• Form 1098-T if you paid tuition.
• Form 1098-E if you paid student loan interest.
• If you are claiming child care expenses, amount you paid and child care agency’s ID or name and Social Security
number of the babysitter.
Income limits • $50,000 with dependents
• $18,000 without dependents
Filed under Uncategorized
Councilman Recchia Wishes Everyone a Very Happy St. Patrick’s Day
Marching with family, friends, and member of the City Council to celebrate this magnificent day!
Getting the crowd going at the pre-parade breakfast!
Dear Friends,
Over the weekend, many of us gathered with family and friends to celebrate the Feast Day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. We enjoyed hearty helpings of corned beef and cabbage, wore our brightest green clothing, and commemorated the principal champion of Irish Christianity.
Not much is known about the early life of St. Patrick. But what we do know is that, at the age of sixteen, he was captured from Wales and taken as a slave when he was first brought Ireland. It was while tending to his flocks as a slave that St. Patrick first found faith.He escaped several years later and returned home to family where he eventually became a priest. A few years after returning home, St. Patrick recounted a vision in which God told him he needed to return to Ireland and share his faith with among the Irish people. He returned to Ireland as a bishop to spread the word of Christianity until the end of his life.
Had the privilege of meeting Cardinal Dolan in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral.
The story of St. Patrick is particularly inspiring because it teaches us about the power of the human spirit. St. Patrick was kidnapped, enslaved, and taken to a foreign country. When he returned to Ireland, he didn’t seek to conquer the Irish people but rather to spread the message of forgiveness and love.
For me, the life of St. Patrick is a source of strength and courage; his life’s work reminds me of what extraordinary things people are capable of. It also reinforces my belief in the power of the human condition and the impact of powerful, progressive ideas. I hope to work on behalf of my constituents within the spirit of St. Patrick today and always.
Sincerely,
Domenic
Filed under New York City
ATTENTION: EXPENSE FUNDING APPLICATION AVAILABLE
To those seeking expense funding (used for projects costing less than $35,000), the expense application is now available on the City Council website: http://council.nyc.gov/html/budget/council-disclosure-application.shtml
If you’re seeking capital funding for a city-owned property (like a park or a school), please download and send in the following form: City-Owned Property Funding
If you are a school and are applying for expense funding for an after-school program, please download and send in the following form: Expense Funding Form for Schools
If you’re applying for capital funding, and you are not on city property, use the non-city capital form at the following link: http://www.nyc.gov/html/capgrants/capgrants.html
I’ve also included a guide you might find useful in filling out the expense forms: Expense Funding Tips
Please note that this application must be submitted electronically by March 30, 2012. Any questions, please call my office at 212-788-7045.
Filed under Uncategorized
COUNCILMAN RECCHIA HOLDS HEARING TO ADDRESS IMPLEMENTATION OF SCRIE
Councilman and Finance Chair, Domenic M. Recchia Jr., Holds Joint Hearing to Discuss Legislation That Would Move SCRIE
Int. 731-A would switch SCRIE from the Department of Finance back to the Department for the Aging
MANHATTAN – Today a joint committee hearing between the Finance Committee, chaired by Councilman Recchia, the Aging Committee, chaired by Councilwoman Jessica Lapin, and the Senior Center sub-committee, chaired by Councilman David Greenfield was held to discuss an amendment to Int. 731 that would switch the implementation of SCRIE from the auspices of the Department of Finance (DOF) back to the Department for the Aging (DFTA).
The hearing began at 10am in the Committee Room on the 16th Floor at 250 Broadway across from City Hall.
In 2009, SCRIE was moved from the Department for the Aging (DFTA) to the Department of Finance (DOF) in hopes that senior constituents would receive better attention and more effective care through the DOF since SCRIE is a financial issue.
Since then, there have been reported instances of negligence on the part of the DOF in recertifying SCRIE status for tenants and giving the landlords their due exemptions. Because of this, legislation has been brought forth to move the SCRIE program back to DFTA.
“These are people who have worked hard their whole lives and they deserve a break. They deserve to have people available to guide them through the SCRIE process and alleviate one less hassle. Seniors are one of our city’s most vulnerable groups and it’s up to us to take care of them,” the Councilman said.
The Councilman’s opening statement is as follows:
Good morning, welcome to today’s Finance Committee Hearing. My name is Domenic M. Recchia, Jr. and I chair the Committee. Today’s Finance hearing is joint with the Aging Committee, chaired by my colleague and co-chair, Council Member Jessica Lappin, and the Subcommittee on Senior Centers, chaired by my colleague and co-chair Council Member David Greenfield.
In 2009, Mayor Bloomberg submitted legislation to the Council to transfer the administration of the SCRIE program from DFTA to DOF. According to the bill’s memo in support, the assumption of SCRIE operations by DOF was designed to:
“….Achieve a better customer service experience for seniors as well as reduce administrative burdens on the City. DOF has the technological capacity to streamline the SCRIE process by cross-checking databases to make determinations with respect to initial eligibility and renewal applications.”
This assumption, however, has not proven to be true. On September 27, 2011, the Finance Committee, jointly with the Aging Committee, held an oversight hearing to examine DOF’s implementation of the SCRIE program and to learn about the successes and failures the DOF has encountered when implementing the program. As a result of the hearing, the Committees learned that DOF’s current process of administering the program was inefficient.
Some highlights of what we learned include:
1. Seniors have experienced delays in the time it takes to process the initial SCRIE application and renewal application. Some delays have been as long as 6 months.
2. DOF only has 13 full time staff members to deal with SCRIE issues, compared to DFTA, which had 39 employees.
3. DOF does not have a public phone number that SCRIE tenants or owners with SCRIE tenants can use to contact someone directly at DOF about the SCRIE program.
4. A “computer glitch” caused errors in landlords’ property tax bills causing ALL 15,000 buildings receiving SCRIE benefits to have erroneous tax bills with the improper amount of SCRIE credits applied, or no credits applied at all.
5. The Committees also learned that the problems that existed with DOF’s administration of the SCRIE program also existed with the Disability Rent Increase Exemption (“DRIE”) program, which was also transferred in 2009, and has a similar structural and administrative model as SCRIE, but the benefit varies and is provided to disabled individuals.
As a result of that hearing, Council Members Lappin, Greenfield and myself introduced legislation to address the inefficiencies of the administration of the SCRIE and DRIE programs by DOF, and ensure that seniors and individuals with disabilities, and the landlords who rent to such individuals, are receiving the benefits and services of the SCRIE and DRIE programs correctly and in a timely manner.
A summary of the bill is provided in the briefing paper prepared by Committee Staff, who I would like to thank for all of their hard work on the bill and this hearing.
The Committees have a lot of questions today, and we also have a lot of people who want to testify, including DOF Commissioner Frankel and Aging Commissioner Barrios-Paoli. So, before we get started, I will turn the microphone over to my co-chair Council Member Jessica Lappin.
Int. 731-A would put a mandate on DFTA to have a designated person or persons (not an automated response tape) to field the calls from seniors. This would greatly improve the process for filing SCRIE applications and would be more efficient in addressing the concerns of seniors. Over the past three years, the DOF has had seniors call 311 instead of handling the calls within their department.
Furthermore, the DFTA must provide quarterly reports detailing the total and average number of initial application, portability applications, determination of applications, and renewal applications. The report must also include the average number of days for the application process to be completed as well as the number of applications that took over six months to process.
The bill will also mandate that the DFTA provide a description of the program and the rights and responsibilities of the landlords and tenants on its website and to each party directly. The application, exemption order number, and approval order number must also be available on their website and in a direct mailing. At the request of the landlord or tenant, the DFTA must provide this information in Chinese, Korean, Russian, or Spanish.
Quarterly mailings of tax abatement credits must also be sent to each SCRIE tenant.
City Councilman Domenic M. Recchia Jr. represents Council District 47, which includes Coney Island, Brighton Beach, Bensonhurst, and Gravesend. He is also the Chair of the Finance Committee.
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Filed under City Council, Finance, Seniors
