LAWS PASSED IN 2002
PROHIBIT PREDATORY LENDING (Intro 67)
This legislation would bar city agencies from doing business with financial
institutions that offer high interest loans with concealed fees and inflated
rates to people who are unable to get a loan elsewhere. These loans are
often promoted in low income neighborhoods, where foreclosure rates tend to
be high. (Read more about this issue in Gotham Gazette).
SPONSORING MEMBERS: The Speaker (Council Member Gifford Miller), Council
Members James Sanders, Philip Reed, Hiram Monserrate, Leroy Comrie, Joseph
Addabbo, Maria Baez, Charles Barron, Tracy Boyland, Yvette Clarke, James
Davis, Bill DeBlasio, Eric Gioia, Robert Jackson, John Liu, Margarita Lopez,
Michael McMahon, Bill Perkins, Christine Quinn, Dominic Recchia, Joel
Rivera, Angel Rodriguez, Ruben Diaz, Eric Dilan, Lewis Fidler, Simcha
Felder, Helen Foster, James Gennaro, Melinda Katz, Oliver Koppell, Miguel
Martinez, Michael Nelson, Diana Reyna, Larry Seabrook, Jose Serrano, Kendall
Stewart, Peter Vallone, Albert Vann, Gale Brewer, Alan Gerson and the Public
Advocate (Ms. Gotbaum)
COUNCIL VOTE: 44 for, 5 against
Approved by council September 25, 2002
Vetoed by mayor October 23, 2002
Overridden by council November 20, 2002
NO: Simcha Felder, Dennis P. Gallagher, Andrew J. Lanza, Madeline Provenzano, James Oddo.
ABSENT: Martin Golden, Philip Reed.
INCREASE PROPERTY TAXES 18.5 PERCENT (Intro 317A)
This law institutes an increase of 18.49% in real property tax rates, the first property tax increase in the city in over a decade. The tax, which went into affect December 2, will generate $837 million in revenue during the fiscal year 2003.
SPONSORING MEMBERS: By Council Members Weprin, Comrie and Boyland (by request of the Mayor)
COUNCIL VOTE: 41 for, 6 against
Approved by council November 25, 2002
Signed by mayor December 2, 2002
NO: Tony Avella, James Davis, Dennis Gallagher, Andrew Lanza, Allan Jennings, James Oddo.
ABSENT: James Gennaro, Martin Golden, Margarita Lopez, Philip Reed.
TEMPORARY EMPLOYMENT PROTECTION FOR SERVICE WORKERS (Intro 239A)
This law provides building service workers with temporary protection from loss of employment when the building that employs them is sold or transferred to another landlord. It requires new landlords or building employers to retain the workers for a trial period of 90 days, after which time each worker can be dismissed.
SPONSORING MEMBERS: By Council Members Sanders, Jackson, Addabbo, Avella, Baez, Barron, Boyland, Brewer, Clarke, Comrie, Davis, DeBlasio, Dilan, Fidler, Foster, Gennaro, Gerson, Gioia, Katz, Koppell, Liu, Lopez, Martinez, McMahon, Monserrate, Nelson, Perkins, Provenzano, Quinn, Recchia, Reed, Reyna, Rivera, Seabrook, Sears, Serrano, Stewart, Vann, Weprin, Yassky, Gallagher, Oddo.
COUNCIL VOTE: 46 for, 0 against
Approved by council November 7, 2002
Signed by mayor November 27, 2002
ABSENT: Maria Baez, Tracy Boyland. Madeline Provenzano, Peter Vallone, Jr.
LIVING WAGE (Intro 66-A)
This law requires certain city contractors and subcontractors to pay their employees a required wage rate determined to be $8.10 per hour as of the effective date of this legislation, rising in increments to $10.00 per hour by July 1, 2006. If the employee already earns the required wage rate, than the bill mandates that the contractor provide either health benefits or a health benefits wage supplements.
SPONSORING MEMBERS: Council Members Miller, Perkins, Lopez, Jackson, Comrie, Quinn, Rivera, Addabbo, Baez, Barron, Boyland, Brewer, Clarke, Davis, DeBlasio, Gioia, Katz, Liu, McMahon, Monserrate, Nelson, Recchia, Reed, Reyna, Sanders, Sears, Diaz, Dilan, Fidler, Felder, Foster, Gennaro, Jennings, Koppell, Martinez, Seabrook, Serrano, Vann, Weprin, Yassky, Stewart, Gerson.
COUNCIL VOTE: 46 for, 0 against
Passed by council November 11, 2002
Signed by mayor November 7, 2002
ABSENT: Maria Baez, Tracy Boyland. Madeline Provenzano, Peter Vallone, Jr.
REFORMING CITY CONTRACTING PRACTICES (Intro 111)
This legislation requires that the city hold a public hearing when awarding
a contract of $100,000 or more. If a contract is being renewed, no hearing
is required unless the contract exceeds $10 million. (Read more about
this
issue in Gotham Gazette).
SPONSORING MEMBERS: The Speaker (Councilmember Gifford Miller) and council members Robert
Jackson, Eva Moskowitz, Joseph Addabbo Jr., Yvette Clarke, Lewis Fidler,
Miguel Martinez, Michael Nelson, Bill Perkins and Larry Seabrook.
COUNCIL VOTE: 51 for, 0 against
Passed by council June 5, 2002
Signed by mayor June 13, 2002
REQUIRING COUNCIL TO REPORT PURCHASES (Intro 112)
The mayor and the City Council routinely makes small spending decisions
without passing legislation or notifying the public. Beginning in September
2003, the mayor and council must release a detailed report of all such
expenditures every three months.
SPONSORING MEMBERS: The Speaker (Councilmember Gifford Miller) and council members Robert
Jackson, Eva Moskowitz, Yvette Clarke, Ruben Diaz, Miguel Martinez, Michael
Nelson, Bill Perkins, Christine Quinn, Dominic Recchia Jr., Larry Seabrook
and Kendall Stewart
COUNCIL VOTE: 51 for, 0 against
Passed by council June 5, 2002
Signed by mayor June 13, 2002
INCREASE CITY CIGARETTE TAX (Intro 230)
This legislation raises cigarette taxes by $1.42 and bringing the price of a
pack of cigarettes to $7 or more. New York City now has the highest
cigarette prices of any place in the nation. Half of the revenue from this
tax goes to the state government. (Read more about
this issue in Gotham Gazette).
SPONSORING MEMBERS: Councilmembers David Weprin and Simcha Felder (at the
request of the mayor) and Kendall Stewart.
COUNCIL VOTE: 48 for, 2 against, 0 abstaining
Passed by council June 21, 2002
Signed by mayor July 10, 2002
YES: Joseph Addabbo, Jr., Tony Avella, Maria Baez, Charles Barron, Tracy
Boyland, Gale Brewer, Yvette Clarke, Leroy Comrie, James Davis, Bill
DeBlasio, Ruben Diaz, Erik Dilan, Simcha Felder, Lewis Fidler, Helen Foster,
James Gennaro, Alan Gerson, Eric Gioia, Robert Jackson, Allan Jennings,
Melinda Katz, G. Oliver Koppell, Andrew Lanza, John Liu, Margarita Lopez,
Michael McMahon, Miguel Martinez, Gifford Miller, Hiram Monserrate, Michael
Nelson, James Oddo, Bill Perkins, Madeline Provenzano, Christine Quinn,
Domenic Recchia, Philip Reed, Diana Reyna, Joel Rivera, Angel Rodriguez,
James Sanders, Larry Seabrook, Helen Sears, Jose Serrano, Kendall Stewart,
Peter Vallone, Jr., Albert Vann, David Weprin, David Yassky.
NO: Dennis Gallagher, Martin Golden
ABSENT: Eva Moskowitz
CELL PHONE SURCHARGE (Intro 218)
As part of the 2003 city budget, this legislation adds a tax of 30 cents a
month to New Yorkers' cell phone bills.
SPONSORING MEMBERS: By Councilmembers David Weprin, Bill DeBlasio and Ruben
Diaz (by request of the mayor)
COUNCIL VOTE: 47 for, 3 against, 0 abstaining
Passed by council June 21, 2002
Signed by mayor July 10, 2002
YES: Joseph Addabbo, Jr., Tony Avella, Maria Baez, Charles Barron, Tracy
Boyland, Gale Brewer, Yvette Clarke, Leroy Comrie, James Davis, Bill
DeBlasio, Ruben Diaz, Erik Dilan, Simcha Felder, Lewis Fidler, Helen Foster,
James Gennaro, Alan Gerson, Eric Gioia, Robert Jackson, Allan Jennings,
Melinda Katz, G. Oliver Koppell, John Liu, Margarita Lopez, Michael McMahon,
Miguel Martinez, Gifford Miller, Hiram Monserrate, Michael Nelson, James
Oddo, Bill Perkins, Madeline Provenzano, Christine Quinn, Domenic Recchia,
Philip Reed, Diana Reyna, Joel Rivera, Angel Rodriguez, James Sanders, Larry
Seabrook, Helen Sears, Jose Serrano, Kendall Stewart, Peter Vallone, Jr.,
Albert Vann, David Weprin, David Yassky.
NO: Dennis Gallagher, Martin Golden, Andrew Lanza
ABSENT: Eva Moskowitz
911 TELEPHONE FEE (Intro 219)
This legislation increases the monthly fee that funds 911 emergency phone
service from $.35 to $1 a month.
SPONSORING MEMBERS: Council members David Weprin, Bill DeBlasio, Ruben Diaz
and Allan Jennings (by request of the mayor)
COUNCIL VOTE: 47 for, 3 against, 0 abstaining
Passed by council June 21, 2002
Signed by mayor July 10, 2002
YES: Joseph Addabbo, Jr., Tony Avella, Maria Baez, Charles Barron, Tracy
Boyland, Gale Brewer, Yvette Clarke, Leroy Comrie, James Davis, Bill
DeBlasio, Ruben Diaz, Erik Dilan, Simcha Felder, Lewis Fidler, Helen Foster,
James Gennaro, Alan Gerson, Eric Gioia, Robert Jackson, Allan Jennings,
Melinda Katz, G. Oliver Koppell, John Liu, Margarita Lopez, Michael McMahon,
Miguel Martinez, Gifford Miller, Hiram Monserrate, Michael Nelson, James
Oddo, Bill Perkins, Madeline Provenzano, Christine Quinn, Domenic Recchia,
Philip Reed, Diana Reyna, Joel Rivera, Angel Rodriguez, James Sanders, Larry
Seabrook, Helen Sears, Jose Serrano, Kendall Stewart, Peter Vallone, Jr.,
Albert Vann, David Weprin, David Yassky.
NO: Dennis Gallagher, Martin Golden, Andrew Lanza
ABSENT: Eva Moskowitz