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City Council Stated Meeting - June 13, 2006


Every two weeks the New York City Council meets for its Stated Meeting to introduce and pass legislation. As a regular feature, Searchlight covers these meetings and posts a summary of the bills passed.

MEETING SUMMARY:
COUNCIL CODE OF CONDUCT

The New York City Council voted to change its own internal policies regarding employment discrimination and harassment.

One amendment bans all forms of workplace harassment - whether it is racial, ethnic, religious or sexual in nature. It requires that anyone who receives a complaint report it to the speaker’s office.

Another amendment establishes a new code of conduct for council members. It defines "disorderly behavior" and gives the council new powers to discipline anyone who violates the rules, ranging from an official reprimand to expulsion from the council.

"This sends a strong message of zero-tolerance of any type of harassment," said Speaker Christine Quinn.

Quinn ordered a review of the body's harassment policies shortly after taking office in January. Last year, Queens Councilmember Allan Jennings (who is no longer in office) was found guilty of improperly firing one employee on his staff and creating a hostile work environment.

The council spent nine months investigating the incidents, and former Speaker Gifford Miller was criticized for how he handled the complaints.

"We saw over the course of that nine-month investigation that we need to make City Hall a very serious place," said Councilmember Joel Rivera, who chaired the committee charged with dealing with the Jennings' case. "I'm sure with these changes that we will not have anyone else who needs to appear before our Standard's and Ethics Committee in the future - knock on wood."

CHILD ABUSE REPORTING
Another council bill will require that the Administration for Children's Services provide new quarterly reports on its efforts to combat child abuse. Under the legislation (Intro 15-A), the agency must report information such as the number of child abuse complaints it receives, how many cases each staff person is working on, and how the agency is responding to individual incidents.

The bill was drafted in response to the death of Nixzmary Brown, a 7-year old girl who was beaten to death by her stepfather while under the supervision of the agency.

Councilmember Bill deBlasio said that if the new regulations had been in place at the time, Brown's death might have been prevented.

"We need public accountability, and we haven't had it up until now," said deBlasio. "We will be able to see what is working, what is not working and make changes accordingly."

HEALTH BENEFIT FUND
As part of this year's budget proposal, Mayor Michael Bloomberg called for the creation of $2 billion trust fund for retiree health benefits. The fund is a plan to pay for future health care costs for city employees.

The council has supported the plan and recently allocated $1 billion toward the plan.

At the meeting, the council voted to officially create the fund that will be monitored by the city comptroller.

"This is a good and bold idea," said Quinn.

(For another view of the health fund, see a Gotham Gazette article)

DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS VEHICLES
In recent years, the council has worked to require that city-owned vehicles meet certain fuel and hybrid technology standards in an effort to reduce pollution. At the same time, lawmakers do not want the regulations to limit the city's ability to purchase the specialized emergency vehicles it needs.

The council passed an exemption from the fuel-efficient requirements (Intro 208-A) for certain buses and emergency response vehicles used by the Department of Corrections. The office of emergency management, the sheriff’s office, police department, and the fire department are already allowed to bypass the regulations when purchasing emergency equipment.

"This bill makes sure that the Department of Corrections has the tools they need to do their job," said Councilmember James Gennaro.

All of these bills passed by a vote of 50 to 0.

The next Stated Meeting is scheduled for June 28, 2006.

 

2006 City Council Stipends


Each New York City Council member makes a base salary of $90,000. However, council members can also earn an additional stipend or "lulu" ranging from $4,000 to $28,500 for serving in various leadership positions or as a chair of a committee. In 2006, the council awarded itself a total of $479,500 in stipends.

One member decided not to take the extra money; Councilmember Tony Avella declined $8,000 for chairing the Zoning and Franchise Committee. Five others members - Letitia James, Andrew Lanza, Melissa Mark Viverito, Darlene Mealy, and Rosie Mendez - do not receive stipends or chair committees.

The following chart is organized by categories "Leadership Positions," "Standing Committees, " "Subcommitees," and "Select Committees" and by the size of the stipend, from the largest to the smallest.

New York City Council members are also the only local elected officials who are allowed to earn outside income from other jobs. See a chart of non-city income earned by council members.

POSITION MEMBER STPIEND TOTAL
Leadership Positions
Speaker
Christine C. Quinn $28,500 $118,500
Majority Leader/Health Joel Rivera $23,000 $113,000
Deputy Majority Leader/Consumer Affairs Leroy G. Comrie, Jr. $20,000 $110,000
Minority Leader James S. Oddo $18,000 $108,000
Assistant Majority Leader/General Welfare Bill de Blasio $15,000 $105,000
Assistant Majority Leader/Youth Services Lewis A. Fidler $15,000 $105,000
Majority Whip/Standards and Ethics Inez E. Dickens $11,000 $101,000
Minority Whip Dennis P. Gallagher $5,000 $95,000
Standing Committees
Finance David I. Weprin $18,000 $108,000
Land Use Melinda R. Katz $18,000 $108,000
Housing and Buildings Erik Martin Dilan $10,000 $100,000
Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Alcoholism, Drug Abuse & Disability Services G. Oliver Koppell $10,000 $100,000
Women's Issues Helen Sears $10,000 $100,000
Aging Maria del Carmen Arroyo $10,000 $100,000
Civil Rights Larry B. Seabrook $10,000 $100,000
Civil Service and Labor Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. $10,000 $100,000
Contracts Yvette D. Clarke $10,000 $100,000
Cultural Affairs, Libraries & International Intergroup Relations Domenic M. Recchia, Jr. $10,000 $100,000
Economic Development Thomas White, Jr. $10,000 $100,000
Education Robert Jackson $10,000 $100,000
Environmental Protection James F. Gennaro $10,000 $100,000
Fire and Criminal Justice Services Miguel Martinez $10,000 $100,000
Governmental Operations Simcha Felder $10,000 $100,000
Higher Education Charles Barron $10,000 $100,000
Immigration Kendall Stewart $10,000 $100,000
Juvenile Justice Sara M. Gonzalez $10,000 $100,000
Lower Manhattan Redevelopment Alan J. Gerson $10,000 $100,000
Oversight and Investigations Eric N. Gioia $10,000 $100,000
Parks and Recreation Helen D. Foster $10,000 $100,000
Public Safety Peter F. Vallone, Jr. $10,000 $100,000
Rules, Privileges and Elections Diana Reyna $10,000 $100,000
Sanitation and Waste Management Michael E. McMahon $10,000 $100,000
Small Business David Yassky $10,000 $100,000
State and Federal Legislation Maria Baez $10,000 $100,000
Technology in Government Gale A. Brewer $10,000 $100,000
Transportation John C. Liu $10,000 $100,000
Veterans Hiram Monserrate $10,000 $100,000
Waterfronts Michael C. Nelson $10,000 $100,000
Subcommittees
Landmarks, Public Siting & Maritime Uses (Land Use)
Jessica S. Lappin $4,000 $94,000
Planning Dispositions and Concessions (Land Use) Daniel R. Garodnick $4,000 $94,000
Drug Abuse (Mental Health)
Annabel Palma $4,000 $94,000
Public Housing (Housing and Buildings)
Rosie Mendez $4,000 $94,000
Senior Centers (Aging)
James Vacca $4,000 $94,000
Select Committees
Community Development
Albert Vann $4,000 $94,000
Libraries Vincent J. Gentile $4,000 $94,000

Non-City Income for New York City Council Members


The chart below lists the range of "non-city income" that members of the New York City Council declared in 2004 (the most recent year available). This income is in addition to the $90,000 a year salary each council member earns and any stipends for serving as a chair of the committee or in a leadership position. (Click here for a list of council salaries and stipends).

Each council member is required to fill out a financial disclosure report with the Conflict of Interest Board, listing outside income and its sources. Although council members do not have to disclose the exact amount of outside income earned, they are required to give a range. The categories are $1,000 to under $5,000; $5,000 to under $35,000; $35,000 to under $60,000; $60,000 to under $100,000; $100,000 to under $250,00; $250,000 to under $500,000; $500,000 or more.

Council members who did not declare additional information are not listed. Also there is no information availabe for eight members - Inez E. Dickens, Daniel R. Garodnick, Jessica S. Lappin, Melissa Mark Viverito, Darlene Mealy, Rosie Mendez, James Vacca, and Thomas White, Jr. - who did not take office until January 2006. Some information in the report is illegible and is marked with a "?" in the chart.

COUNCIL MEMBER
SOURCE
TYPE OF INCOME
RANGE OF OUTSIDE INCOME
TOTAL INCLUDING COUNCIL SALARY AND STIPEND
MINIMUM
MAXIMUM
Avella, Tony Park Ave. Securities Dividends (Jointly Owned) $1,000 $5,000 At least $91,000
Brewer, Gale B and B? Income $5,000 $35,000 At least $105,000
DeBlasio, Bill John Edwards for President, Inc. Consulting $5,000 $35,000 At least $105,000
Fidler Lewis A. Roberts & Fidler PC Salary and Distribution
$35,000 $60,000 At least $179,000
Roberts, Fidler and Mirasol Draw $5,000 $35,000
Plaintiff Funding Corp Salary $35,000 $60,000
Emigrant Savings Bank Bank Interest $1,000 $5,000
Roslyn Savings Bank Bank Interest $1,000 $5,000
Janney Montgomery Scott Bond Dividends $1,000 $5,000
Munder Funds Dividends $1,000 $5,000

Gerson, Alan J.

Inheritance from Uncle Pension and Annuities $5,000 $35,000 At least $105,000
Jackson, Robert Cornell University Extension Program Salary for Instructor $1,000 $5,000 At least $101,000
Koppell, G. Oliver Koppell, Leavitt, Kerson and Duane LLP
Law Firm Income $5,000 $35,000 At least $241,000
Law Offices of G. Oliver Koppell & Associates Law Firm Income $100,000 $250,000
Coyle & Assoc. LLP Law Firm Income $1,000 $5,000
State of NY Pension $35,000 $60,000
Lanza, Andrew J. TD Waterhouse
Dividend Inc. $1,000 $5,000 At least $92,000
US Treasury Interest Inc. $1,000 $5,000
McMahon, Michael E. O'Leary, McMahon and Spero Salary $100,000 $250,000 At least $200,000
Apple Bank
Interest $1,000 $5,000
CitiBank
Interest $1,000 $5,000
City + Suburban
Interest $1,000 $5,000
North Fork
Interest $1,000 $5,000
Recchia, Domenic M. Self-Employed
Law Practice Income $100,000 $250,000 At least $310,000
Stratton, VT
Rental Income $5,000 $35,000
Stratton, VT
Rental Income $5,000 $35,000
Stratton, VT
Sale of Property $100,000 $250,000
Seabrook, Larry B. John Jay College
Adjunct Prof. $5,000 $35,000 At least $105,000
Sears, Helen U.S. Treasury
Social Security $5,000 $35,000 At least $123,000
IRA
? $5,000 $35,000
Chase Bank
Interest $1,000 $5,000
Independence Bk
Interest $1,000 $5,000
UBS
Dividends $5,000 $35,000
?
Annuity $1,000 $5,000
?
? $5,000 $35,000
Stewart, Kendall Kendall Stewart - Podiastrist
Medical Practice $60,000 $100,000 At least $160,000
Vallone, Jr., Peter Vallone & Vallone
Law $5,000 $35,000 At least $106,000
Valley Rock Realty
Real Estate $1,000 $5,000
Vann Albert Rent
  $5,000 $35,000 At least $104,000
Social Security
$5,000 $35,000
Weprin, David I. Sieratzki Ceccarelli & Weprin LLP Law Firm
Draw $5,000 $35,000 At least $218,000
Sterne, Agree & Leach Inc.
Investment Banker Salary $100,000 $250,000
Misc. Law Firms of Counsel Work
$5,000 $35,000
Yassky, David Aim Aggressive Growth
Sale of Mutual Fund Shares $1,000 $5,000 At least $102,000
Yassky Wyndham Partnership Limited Partner; Real Estate $1,000 $5,000

 

 

 



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