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2 CITY COUNCIL
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CITY OF NEW YORK
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THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE MINUTES
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of the
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STATED COUNCIL MEETING
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February 4, 2004
11 Start: 1:15 p.m.
Recess: 3:15 p.m.
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City Hall
13 Council Chambers
New York, New York
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15 B E F O R E:
16 BETSY GOTBAUM
Public Advocate
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18 COUNCIL MEMBERS: Joseph Addabbo
Tony Avella
19 Maria Baez
Charles Barron
20 Tracy Boyland
Gale Brewer
21 Yvette Clarke
Leroy Comrie
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23
24 LEGAL-EASE COURT REPORTING SERVICES, INC.
17 Battery Place - Suite 1308
25 New York, New York 10004
800-756-3410
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2 A P P E A R A N C E S (CONTINUED)
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COUNCIL MEMBERS:
4 Bill DeBlasio
Erik Martin-Dilan
5 Simcha Felder
Lewis Fidler
6 Helen Foster
Dennis Gallagher
7 James Gennaro
Vincent Gentile
8 Alan Gerson
Eric Gioia
9 Sarah Gonzalez
Robert Jackson
10 Latitia James
Allan Jennings
11 Melinda Katz
G. Oliver Koppell
12 Andrew Lanza
John Liu
13 Margarita Lopez
Miguel Martinez
14 Michael McMahon
A. Gifford Miller
15 Hiram Monserrate
Eva Moskowitz
16 Michael Nelson
James Oddo
17 Bill Perkins
Madeline Provenzano
18 Christine Quinn
Domenic Recchia
19 Philip Reed
Diana Reyna
20 Joel Rivera
James Sanders
21 Larry Seabrook
Helen Sears
22 Jose Serrano
Kendall Stewart
23 Peter Vallone, Jr.
Albert Vann
24 David Weprin
David Yassky
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2 A P P E A R A N C E S (CONTINUED)
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STAFF: Victor Robles
4 City Clerk
5 Claude Cherry,
Council Clerk
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2 SPEAKER MILLER: Council Member
3 Addabbo, I know you have some special guests who are
4 here with us today who we're honoring, I'd love it
5 if you would bring them forward.
6 COUNCIL MEMBER ADDABBO: Thank you,
7 Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon.
8 I don't care what the groundhog said,
9 I think spring is right around the corner, and with
10 spring comes spring training, and with spring
11 training comes opening day, and today we may have,
12 Mr. Speaker, some future stars. And I want to go up
13 front and congratulate 2003's New York City
14 ten-year-old division champions from The Ozone
15 Howard Little League.
16 Ozone Howard Little League is one of
17 the oldest little leagues in the City, and today we
18 are blessed to have, again these future stars,
19 ten-year-old New York City champions from 2003. And
20 to the team, to the coaches, to the league, I
21 congratulate you for being a positive influence, not
22 only in our area but also throughout the City.
23 So, thank you very much for being
24 here.
25 SPEAKER MILLER: If we could have the
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2 Clerk read the proclamation, that would be great.
3 CITY CLERK ROBLES: The Council, City
4 of New York, Proclamation.
5 Whereas: The Council of the City of
6 New York is proud and pleased to honor both the
7 Ozone Howard Little League Organization, as well as
8 The Mites -- a team from its 10-Year-Old Division -
9 whose fine playing and spirit of teamwork has made
10 the borough of Queens very proud; and
11 Whereas: Ozone Howard Little League
12 has been in existence for the last twenty-five
13 years; and
14 Whereas: The League provides
15 supervised, instructional baseball and softball for
16 the young men and women of Ozone Park, Howard Beach
17 and Lindenwood; and
18 Whereas: For the last 25 years the
19 Ozone Howard Little League has served over 1,500
20 young people each season; and
21 Whereas: The League helps instill
22 community service among its athletes by holding
23 field days for local schools, special festival days
24 for handicapped children, and hosting the annual
25 prom for severely challenged multi-handicapped
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2 teenagers; and
3 Whereas: One of the league's teams --
4 the Ozone Howard Mites -- won District 27 Flag on
5 July 17th, the NYC Championship on July 22nd and
6 then went to Albany placing as a runner-up in the
7 State Championships; and
8 Whereas: Coaches John Midden, Paul
9 Iddlemiss, Anthony Cammarata and Jimmy Russo
10 exemplify the best of the Ozone Howard Little League
11 and the spirit of volunteerism; and
12 Whereas: Athletes Alex Midden,
13 Alexander Middlemiss, Sean Cammerata, James Russo,
14 Frankie Kaplan, John Rainone, Joe Gangi, Vinny
15 Gatto, James Passarella, Scott Hounsell and David
16 Delgiorno demonstrated not only skilled ball playing
17 but outstanding sportsmanship as members of the
18 winning Mites; now, therefore
19 Be It Known: That the Council of the
20 City of New York most gratefully honors THE OZONE
21 HOWARD LITTLE LEAGUE and THE MITES, ITS 10-YEAR-OLD
22 DIVISION CHAMPS for their outstanding contributions
23 to our community through their dedicated leadership
24 and commitment to teach not only the game of
25 baseball, but also more importantly the value of
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2 good sportsmanship.
3 Signed this 4th day of February in
4 the year Two Thousand and Four, Gifford Miller,
5 Speaker for the Entire Council; Joseph Addabbo, Jr.,
6 Council Member, 32nd District, Queens.
7 SPEAKER MILLER: Gentlemen, we're very
8 proud of all of you. Congratulations on your
9 success. We look forward to many big things, and,
10 you know, being a Yankee fan, I hope you all join
11 the Yankees. I know that's probably unpopular with
12 the team, but there it is, I've got to stick with my
13 colors.
14 Coach, we'd be very grateful if you'd
15 say a few words on behalf of the team.
16 COACH: Thank you, Speaker Miller,
17 Joe, we're forever grateful for what you did for
18 these kids. It was tremendous fun. I'd like to thank
19 all the parents for their support, and the kids, it
20 was just a great time, we had a good run.
21 I'd like to thank one gentleman who
22 is not with us anymore, Pat Alocca, who was
23 basically the founder of this team. Thank you.
24 SPEAKER MILLER: Oh, I get a ball?
25 COACH: You get an autographed ball
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2 from the team, and hopefully one day, you never
3 know, the next Micky Mantle may be on there.
4 SPEAKER MILLER: Absolutely.
5 COACH: You never know. You never
6 know.
7 SPEAKER MILLER: I'm very honored.
8 Thank you all.
9 I'm going to put it in glass. I've
10 got it right down right next to the ball I threw out
11 at the Yankee Stadium, first one. Right next to that
12 one. Thank you very much. I'm honored. Coming back
13 next year, absolutely, with the 11-year-olds.
14 Parents, thank you all for being here.
15 Congratulations to you.
16 Council Member Weprin.
17 COUNCIL MEMBER WEPRIN: Okay.
18 SPEAKER MILLER: I know Council Member
19 Weprin has an extraordinarily honored guest who is
20 here. Let me just turn the mic over to you, Council
21 Member Weprin, so that you can introduce our guest.
22 COUNCIL MEMBER WEPRIN: Okay, we have
23 a very honored guest. Can I ask the whole delegation
24 to come up? Morris Baldinger, with his wife
25 Charlotte, who is president of Hollis Park Nursing
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2 Home. Aroleo, Gina Gargano, Irving Manning, and
3 Bernard and Enid Scott.
4 SPEAKER MILLER: Do we have a
5 proclamation?
6 COUNCIL MEMBER WEPRIN: Yes, we do.
7 SPEAKER MILLER: Here it is.
8 All right, if the Clerk could read
9 the proclamation.
10 CITY CLERK ROBLES: The Council, City
11 of New York, Proclamation.
12 Whereas: The Council of the City of
13 New York is pleased and proud to join family,
14 friends and staff of the Hollis Park Manor Nursing
15 Home as they recognize and celebrate the life and
16 accomplishments of one of its most distinguished
17 residents, 110 year old Maud Scott; and
18 Whereas: We are a City made strong by
19 the efforts of individuals who give exemplary
20 service to the community, whether through
21 participation in volunteer programs, through unique
22 personal achievement in their professional or other
23 endeavors, or through a lifetime of good citizenry;
24 and
25 Whereas: Today, we come together to
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2 honor Maud Scott, a woman of exceptional strength,
3 character and dignity who has the singular
4 distinction of living a life that has spanned three
5 centuries and is still here to tell her story; and
6 Whereas: On January 26th, 1894, Maud
7 Scott was born in the borough of Brooklyn to Mary
8 and Charles Hicks, two people endowed with strong
9 African-American and Shinnecock Indian ancestry that
10 provided Maud throughout her life with a sense of
11 purpose and a spirited determination to succeed; and
12 Whereas: A woman of great integrity
13 and strong character, Maud married Bernard Scott,
14 had three children, Bernard, Stanley and Irving, who
15 in turn have blessed her with five grandchildren and
16 two great-grandchildren; and
17 Whereas: Maud Scott has a sharp sense
18 of humor and a fierce intensity to explore life; she
19 wrote her first poem at age 95, continues to write
20 poetry, and has served as the oldest living
21 participant in the Lift Up the World Program, a
22 project that seeks to identify and honor people who
23 have inspired the world; and
24 Whereas: In over one hundred years of
25 living, Maud Scott has inspired others with her
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2 ebullience, her warmth, her bright spirit and her
3 true zest for life; she is loved deeply by family
4 and friends and has shown us all quite beautifully
5 that age is only a state of mind; now, therefore
6 Be It Known: That the Council of the
7 City of New York honors MAUD SCOTT for her wonderful
8 contributions to our City, and joins with her family
9 and friends in celebrating her life and enduring
10 legacy.
11 Signed this 4th day of February in
12 the year Two Thousand and Four, Gifford Miller,
13 Speaker for the Entire Council; David I. Weprin,
14 Council Member, 23rd District, Queens.
15 COUNCIL MEMBER WEPRIN: We believe
16 that Mrs. Scott is the oldest resident of New York
17 State, and she's lived in New York City all 110
18 years. She stopped smoking at 80, because she was
19 worried about her health, and a sister of her had
20 some problems with smoking, so she decided to stop
21 smoking at 80. She took up poetry at 95, and we're
22 going to ask her to do a poem for us called "Artie
23 Boy," that I believe she knows by heart.
24 Can you do "Artie Boy"?
25 MRS. SCOTT: Is the mic on?
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2 COUNCIL MEMBER WEPRIN: Yes.
3 MRS. SCOTT: My little brother Arthur,
4 my mother's pride and joy;
5 She worships the ground he walks
6 upon, and calls him Artie Boy;
7 By bouncing him upon her knee, she
8 turns around and says to me, "don't forget MaryJane,
9 you're my pet, and I love you both the same.
10 SPEAKER MILLER: Oh, that's beautiful.
11 COUNCIL MEMBER WEPRIN: Started poetry
12 at 95.
13 SPEAKER MILLER: Mrs. Scott, we're so
14 honored to have you here. Congratulations on all
15 your achievements and for all you've done for our
16 City, and thank you to everyone else who came down
17 to be a part of this very, very historic moment.
18 Thank you.
19 Thank you all very much.
20 Congratulations, Mrs. Scott. Thank you very much for
21 being with us.
22 MRS. SCOTT: Okay.
23 SPEAKER MILLER: Council Member Hiram
24 Monserrate is here and has brought a number of
25 guests.
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2 Special honoree. I'd like you to
3 introduce our honoree.
4 COUNCIL MEMBER MONSERRATE: Thank you,
5 Mr. Speaker.
6 Larry? Why don't you come on up,
7 Larry. Larry is going to present this with me, Mr.
8 Speaker.
9 SPEAKER MILLER: Okay.
10 COUNCIL MEMBER MONSERRATE: From the
11 Borough of the Bronx, Larry Seabrook.
12 I have the pleasure and honor of
13 bringing to the front Mr. David Londin and his
14 party. Please come on up, Mr. David Londin.
15 Straight from the multi-circle. Come
16 on up, Mr. David Londin. You're the center of
17 attention for these few moments of City Hall.
18 Our Speaker Miller.
19 SPEAKER MILLER: Thank you for
20 introducing our guests, and if we could have the
21 clerk read the proclamation.
22 CITY CLERK ROBLES: The Council, City
23 of New York, Proclamation.
24 Whereas: The Council of the City of
25 New York is pleased and proud to honor David Londin
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2 for his exceptional contributions to the senior
3 community; and
4 Whereas: Seniors are important
5 members of society, individuals whose contributions
6 have helped shape and inform the modern world;
7 across the decades and throughout the defining
8 moments of the 20th century, we have all been
9 enriched by the legacy of the senior community, a
10 legacy which has ensured the safety, progress and
11 prosperity of our great country for generations to
12 come; and
13 Whereas: Today, we proudly honor Mr.
14 David Londin, a man who has worked in the field of
15 aging for more than two decades, during which time
16 he has dedicated himself to expanding the notions of
17 what senior services can and should be; and
18 Whereas: David Londin is currently
19 the Executive Director of the Workmen's Circle
20 MultiCare Center, an organization which promotes the
21 well-being of the elderly through a broad array of
22 social services; and
23 Whereas: David Londin's tireless work
24 on behalf of the senior community is truly
25 impressive:
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2 Among his accomplishments, his
3 leadership was the driving force behind a $68
4 million total renovation and modernization of the
5 Center. During his tenure, fundraising efforts have
6 broadened and several hugely successful events were
7 initiated; and
8 Whereas: David Londin is a man of
9 integrity, depth and dimension who leads by example.
10 His credo: "The resident always comes first," is
11 communicated to all levels of staff and implemented
12 in ways that have improved the quality of life for
13 countless individuals; for his dedication and
14 contributions, Mr. Londin has received recognition
15 and high honors, including being named UJA Man of
16 the Year, 1991; the Workmen's Circle MultiCare
17 Center Leadership Award, 1997; and a Workman's
18 Circle MultiCare Center Family Council Man of the
19 Year Award in 1998; and
20 David Londin's contributions to the
21 senior community over the years have been truly
22 inestimable; he has helped show our City that all
23 seniors should be treated with the care, dignity and
24 respect they so rightfully deserve; now, therefore
25 Be It Known: That the Council of the
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2 City of New York honors DAVID LONDIN for his
3 outstanding contributions to the senior community of
4 our City.
5 Signed this 4th day of February in
6 the year Two Thousand and Four, Gifford Miller,
7 Speaker for the Entire Council; Hiram Monserrate,
8 Council Member, 21st District, Queens.
9 SPEAKER MILLER: Thank you. David,
10 we're very honored to have you here with us, and
11 thank you for all you've done for our City and we
12 would be pleased if you would say a few words.
13 MR. LONDIN: Thank you very much.
14 First of all, to the youth of
15 America, the baseball team, that's a great job by
16 them, and certainly what better moment for me to be
17 here caring for the elderly than to be with someone
18 like Mrs. Scott who has achieved a tremendous,
19 tremendous honor. Congratulations to you and the
20 fine nursing home that you're there, that you come
21 from.
22 The Workmen's Circle Multicare Center
23 is the nursing home that I've had the pleasure to be
24 in charge of for over 20 years. It's a great home
25 with great staff, for my son Bradley to be here and
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2 Gale and Elaina Zeretski, it's indeed an honor to
3 me, and for my whole family and to the patience, I
4 thank you very much.
5 SPEAKER MILLER: Thank you very much.
6 Council Member McMahon. I know you
7 have a couple of very special honored guests. Would
8 you like to bring them forward for us?
9 COUNCIL MEMBER McMAHON: Mr. Speaker,
10 and my colleagues in the Council and ladies and
11 gentlemen, if we could have your attention for a
12 moment?
13 This is a very important presentation
14 that we're going to make here this afternoon. We
15 learned, Mr. Speaker, through the events of
16 September 11th, we were reminded as a society that
17 there are men and women who live next to us who work
18 among us who at a moment's notice could become
19 heroes.
20 Mr. Speaker, we learned that heroes
21 are ordinary people, who in any given moment or time
22 do extraordinary things and show extraordinary
23 courage to save the lives of others, and that is
24 certainly the case of Sergeant Scott Nichols, and
25 Police Officer Mark DiPilato, who are here with us
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2 this afternoon.
3 Just this December while they were
4 patrolling in the New Brighton section of my
5 district on the North Shore of Staten Island --
6 could I have everyone's attention, please?
7 While they were on tour the Sunday
8 morning in early December last year, they noticed in
9 a commercial building, in a taxpayer building smoke
10 coming from the top floor, and without thinking
11 about life or limb, or without thinking about
12 anything except their duties to serve and protect
13 people of the City of New York, they raced into that
14 burning building and saved many lives. And it was
15 through their act of heroism, because the Fire
16 Department, although responded quickly, would not
17 have been there in time, Sergeant Nichols and
18 DiPilato saved lives that day without worrying about
19 their own. They reminded us once again that the men
20 and women of the New York City Police Department are
21 just those heroes. They're ordinary people. They are
22 ordinary people who want to give a moment for
23 extraordinary things, and we're proud that Police
24 Officer DiPilato has his son Mark with him today,
25 who is going to be a very good Councilman some day,
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2 and his mom Anna DiPilato, who is with me. Sergeant
3 Nichols, who has been on the force 19 years, Police
4 Officer DiPilato seven years, Sergeant Nichols is
5 joined by his wife, JC, and his three children,
6 Christopher, Matthew and Jenna, the beautiful young
7 girl there.
8 So, ladies and gentlemen, let's hear
9 it for our heroes in New York City.
10 SPEAKER MILLER: Thank you, Michael.
11 If we could have the clerk read the proclamation.
12 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Whereas: The
13 Council of the City of New York is proud and pleased
14 to honor New York City Police Officer Scott Nicholls
15 for his meritorious service and distinguished valor
16 in the line of duty; and
17 Whereas: Saving a life is perhaps the
18 greatest gift one individual can give to another; it
19 is an accomplishment worthy of the utmost honor,
20 praise and recognition; and
21 Whereas: New York City Police
22 Sergeant Scott Nicholls is one such individual whose
23 presence of mind and heroics helped save another's
24 life; and
25 Whereas: On November 30th, 2003,
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2 Sergeant Scott Nicholls along with Officer DiPilato
3 were on community patrol in the New Brighton section
4 of Staten Island when they spotted smoke pouring out
5 of a three-story building; and
6 Whereas: After learning that a family
7 was asleep on the third floor, these two police
8 officers rushed into action, broke down the
9 apartment door, woke everyone up and in a
10 coordinated effort guided them to safety; and
11 Whereas: At great risk to his own
12 person safety, Sergeant Scott Nicholls demonstrated
13 tremendous calm under extremely difficult
14 conditions, and in doing so helped save the lives of
15 six people; and
16 Whereas: Today we honor New York City
17 Sergeant Scott Nicholls for his courage, his quick
18 thinking, and his commitment to ensuring the safety
19 of our citizens. Without his timely intervention,
20 the consequences for these individuals might have
21 been fatal; and
22 Whereas: New York City Police
23 Officers have always worked diligently for all the
24 citizens of our great City and, as this rescue
25 shows, are well and rightfully known as New York's
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2 Finest; now, therefore
3 Be It Known: That the Council of the
4 City of New York honors SERGEANT SCOTT NICHOLLS, for
5 his courage, compassion, and heroism.
6 Signed this 4th day of February in
7 the year Two Thousand and Four, Gifford Miller,
8 Speaker for the Entire Council; Michael McMahon,
9 Council member, 49th District, Staten Island.
10 CITY CLERK ROBLES: The Council, City
11 of New York, Proclamation.
12 Whereas: The Council of the City of
13 New York is proud and pleased to honor New York City
14 Police Officer Mark DiPilato for his meritorious
15 service and distinguished valor in the line of duty;
16 and
17 Whereas: Saving a life is perhaps the
18 greatest gift one individual can give to another; it
19 is an accomplishment worthy of the utmost honor,
20 praise and recognition; and
21 Whereas: New York City Police Officer
22 Mark DiPilato is one such individual whose presence
23 of mind and heroics helped safe another's life; and
24 Whereas: On November 30th, 2003,
25 Officer DiPilato along with Sgt. Scott Nicholls were
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2 on community patrol in the New Brighton section of
3 Staten Island when they spotted smoke pouring out of
4 a three-story building; and
5 Whereas: After learning that a family
6 was asleep on the third floor, these two police
7 officers rushed into action, broke down the
8 apartment door, woke everyone up and in a
9 coordinated effort guided them to safety; and
10 Whereas: At great risk to his own
11 personal safety, Officer Mark DiPilato demonstrated
12 tremendous calm under extremely difficult
13 conditions, and in doing so helped save the lives of
14 six people; and
15 Whereas: Today we honor New York City
16 Police Officer Mark DiPilato for his courage, his
17 quick thinking, and his commitment to ensuring the
18 safety of our citizens. Without his timely
19 intervention, the consequences for these individuals
20 might have been fatal; and
21 Whereas: New York City Police
22 Officers have always worked diligently for all the
23 citizens of our great City and, as this rescue
24 shows, are well and rightfully known as New York's
25 Finest; now, therefore
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2 Be It Known: That the Council of the
3 City of New York honors POLICE OFFICER MARK DiPILATO
4 for his courage, compassion, and heroism.
5 Signed this 4th day of February in
6 the year Two Thousand and Four, Gifford Miller,
7 Speaker for the Entire Council; Michael McMahon,
8 Council Member, 49th District, Staten Island.
9 SPEAKER MILLER: Gentlemen, we are
10 indeed honored to have you here with us today, and
11 thank you for your service to our City every day,
12 but particularly on that day in question, and we
13 would be honored if you would say a few words.
14 POLICE OFFICER DiPILATO: I'm just
15 glad that we happened to be in the right place at
16 the right time and saved the six people. I'd like to
17 thank my family for their support.
18 SERGEANT NICHOLLS: I'd just like to
19 thank everyone here today. Thank you very much. We
20 appreciate all the accolades. Thank you.
21 SPEAKER MILLER: Thank you. Thank you,
22 both, gentlemen. We really are honored to have you,
23 and thank you for our service to our City.
24 Congratulations.
25 My friends, we have another series of
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2 three heroes that are here today, also police
3 officers and detectives, who in a time of crisis
4 threw themselves into the crisis and saved a woman's
5 life, a woman who was a despondent woman who was
6 threatening a suicide jump from the Brooklyn Bridge.
7 I'd like to ask Police Officer Mike
8 Bazerman, who is known to all of us down here at
9 City Hall, Mike, please come forward.
10 Also, Detective Angel Serrano, and
11 Police Officer Rafael Martinez, come forward
12 gentlemen. Thank you so much. And of course, their
13 families as well, please come forward.
14 We are indeed incredibly honored to
15 have you with us here.
16 So, if we could have the clerk read
17 the proclamation, we would be very honored.
18 CITY CLERK ROBLES: The Council, City
19 of New York, Proclamation.
20 Whereas: The Council of the City of
21 New York is proud and pleased to honor New York City
22 Police Officer Michael R. Bazerman for his
23 meritorious service and distinguished valor in the
24 line of duty; and
25 Whereas: Saving a life is perhaps the
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2 greatest gift one individual can give to another; it
3 is an accomplishment worthy of the utmost honor,
4 praise and recognition; and
5 Whereas: Police Officer Michael R.
6 Bazerman is one such individual; he is a man whose
7 presence of mind and quick thinking helped save
8 another's life; and
9 Whereas: Officer Bazerman, a member
10 of the New York City Police Department since June
11 1995, and currently on the Municipal Security Unit
12 at City Hall, is credited with saving the life of a
13 despondent woman who was threatening a suicide jump
14 from the Brooklyn Bridge; and
15 Whereas: When fellow officer Rafael
16 Martinez's attempts failed to induce this woman to
17 change her mind, Police Officer Bazerman, along with
18 Police Officer Martinez and Detective Angel Serrano,
19 took immediate action at risk of grave personal
20 injury, and pulled the woman to safety; and
21 Whereas: Today we honor Police
22 Officer Michael R. Bazerman, whose efforts
23 undoubtedly saved another's life, without his timely
24 intervention, the consequences for this woman might
25 have been fatal; and
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2 Whereas: New York City Police
3 Officers have always worked diligently for all the
4 citizens of our great City and, as this rescue
5 shows, are well and rightfully known as New York's
6 Finest; now, therefore
7 Be It Known: That the Council of the
8 City of New York honors POLICE OFFICER MICHAEL R.
9 BAZERMAN for his courage, compassion, and
10 determination in saving another's life.
11 Signed this 4th day of February in
12 the year Two Thousand and Four, Gifford Miller,
13 Speaker for the Entire Council.
14 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Whereas: The
15 Council of the City of New York is proud and pleased
16 to honor New York City Police Detective Angel
17 Serrano for his meritorious service and
18 distinguished valor in the line of duty; and
19 Whereas: Saving a life is perhaps the
20 greatest gift one individual can give to another; it
21 is an accomplishment worthy of the utmost honor,
22 praise and recognition; and
23 Whereas: New York City Police
24 Detective Angel Serrano is one such individual whose
25 presence of mind and quick thinking helped save
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1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 another's life; and
3 Whereas: Detective Serrano, a member
4 of the New York City Police Department since July,
5 1996, is credited, along with fellow NYPD officers
6 Rafael A. Martinez and Michael R. Bazerman, with
7 helping to save the life of a despondent woman who
8 was threatening a suicide jump from the Brooklyn
9 Bridge; and
10 Whereas: When their efforts failed to
11 induce this woman to change her mind, Police
12 Officers Martinez and Bazerman, along with Detective
13 Serrano, took immediate action at risk of grave
14 personal injury, and pulled the woman to safety; and
15 Whereas: Today we honor New York City
16 Police Detective Angel Serrano, whose efforts
17 undoubtedly saved another's life; without his timely
18 intervention, the consequences for this woman might
19 have been fatal; and
20 Whereas: New York City Police
21 Officers have always worked diligently for all the
22 citizens of our great City and, as this rescue
23 shows, are well and rightfully known as New York's
24 Finest; now, therefore
25 Be It Known: That the Council of the
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2 City of New York honors DETECTIVE ANGEL SERRANO for
3 his courage, compassion, and determination in saving
4 another's life.
5 Signed this 4th day of February in
6 the year Two Thousand and Four, Gifford Miller,
7 Speaker for the Entire Council.
8 CITY CLERK ROBLES: The Council, City
9 of New York, Proclamation.
10 Whereas: The Council of the City of
11 New York is proud and pleased to honor New York City
12 Police Officer Rafael A. Martinez for his
13 meritorious service and distinguished valor in the
14 line of duty; and
15 Whereas: Saving a life is perhaps the
16 greatest gift one individual can give to another,
17 and it is an accomplishment worthy of the utmost
18 honor, praise and recognition; and
19 Whereas: Officer Martinez, a nine
20 year veteran of the Department currently assigned to
21 Police Headquarters Security Unit, was exiting the
22 ramp off the FDR Drive South at Brooklyn Bridge and
23 Wagner Street when he noticed a despondent looking
24 woman walking against traffic; and
25 Whereas: Police Officer Martinez
29
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 tried talking to her and received no response.
3 Realizing how precarious this situation could
4 become, Officer Martinez parked his car and followed
5 this woman up the ramp, whereupon she climbed over
6 the safety railing and threatened to jump onto the
7 concrete 30 feet below; and
8 Whereas: When it appeared that she
9 was about to make good her threat, Police Officer
10 Martinez, along with two other officers, took
11 immediate action at risk of grave personal injury to
12 themselves, and pulled the woman to safety; and
13 Whereas: Today we honor Police
14 Officer Rafael A. Martinez, an individual whose
15 efforts undoubtedly saved another's life; without
16 his timely intervention the consequences for this
17 woman might have been fatal; and
18 Whereas: New York City Police
19 Officers have always worked diligently for all the
20 citizens of our great City and, as this rescue
21 shows, are well and rightfully known as New York's
22 Finest; now, therefore
23 Be It Known: That the Council of the
24 City of New York honors POLICE OFFICER RAFAEL A.
25 MARTINEZ for exceptional service in the line of
30
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 duty.
3 Signed this 4th day of February in
4 the year Two Thousand and Four, Gifford Miller,
5 Speaker for the Entire Council.
6 SPEAKER MILLER: Gentlemen, all of my
7 colleagues, and the people of the City of New York,
8 thank you for your service to our City.
9 It certainly is true that every day
10 the work of our finest is heroic, but it's at
11 particular times of crisis that people turn to the
12 Police Department for acts of heroism and bravery
13 and extraordinary courage, and what you did by going
14 forth and saving this woman's life is the kind of
15 work that goes on in our City every day but should
16 be recognized and thanked.
17 And, so, thank you so very much for
18 your work and we'd be honored if you'd say a few
19 words.
20 Mike.
21 POLICE OFFICER BAZERMAN: I just want
22 to thank Speaker Miller and the rest of the Council
23 members, and the Council staff. I appreciate
24 everything. It was just a day's work.
25 SPEAKER MILLER: It was a good day.
31
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 DETECTIVE SERRANO: I'd like to say
3 thank you to the Council and everybody here that
4 showed up. Thank you very much.
5 POLICE OFFICER MARTINEZ: I want to
6 thank the Lord above for having us there at the
7 right time at the right place, which is what it was.
8 That was just an indication of what police officers
9 throughout the City do day in and day out. We were
10 just happy to be at the right place at the right
11 time, and I just happened to have the right partner
12 at the right place. Thank you.
13 Thank you to my family, for their
14 support.
15 SPEAKER MILLER: Thank you. Thank God
16 you were all there. Thank you all very much for
17 being here.
18 Congratulations, thank you. Thank you
19 for your service.
20 MAJORITY LEADER RIVERA: Will the
21 Stated Meeting of February 4, 2004 please come to
22 order.
23 Roll call.
24 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Addabbo.
25 COUNCIL MEMBER ADDABBO: Here.
32
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Avella.
3 COUNCIL MEMBER AVELLA: Here.
4 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Baez.
5 COUNCIL MEMBER BAEZ: Here.
6 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Barron.
7 COUNCIL MEMBER BARRON: Here.
8 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Boyland.
9 COUNCIL MEMBER BOYLAND: Here.
10 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Brewer.
11 COUNCIL MEMBER BREWER: Here.
12 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Clarke.
13 COUNCIL MEMBER CLARKE: Here.
14 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Comrie.
15 COUNCIL MEMBER COMRIE: Present.
16 CITY CLERK ROBLES: DeBlasio.
17 COUNCIL MEMBER DEBLASIO: Here.
18 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Dilan.
19 COUNCIL MEMBER DILAN: Here.
20 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Felder.
21 (No response.)
22 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Fidler.
23 COUNCIL MEMBER FIDLER: Here.
24 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Foster.
25 COUNCIL MEMBER FOSTER: Here.
33
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Gallagher.
3 COUNCIL MEMBER GALLAGHER: Here.
4 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Gennaro.
5 COUNCIL MEMBER GENNARO: Here.
6 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Gentile.
7 COUNCIL MEMBER GENTILE: Here.
8 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Gerson.
9 COUNCIL MEMBER GERSON: Here.
10 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Gioia.
11 COUNCIL MEMBER GIOIA: Here.
12 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Gonzalez.
13 COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ: Here.
14 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Jackson.
15 COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON: Here.
16 CITY CLERK ROBLES: James.
17 COUNCIL MEMBER JAMES: Here.
18 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Jennings.
19 COUNCIL MEMBER JENNINGS: Here.
20 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Katz.
21 COUNCIL MEMBER KATZ: Here.
22 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Koppell.
23 COUNCIL MEMBER KOPPELL: Here.
24 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Lanza.
25 COUNCIL MEMBER LANZA: Here.
34
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Liu.
3 COUNCIL MEMBER LIU: Here.
4 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Lopez.
5 COUNCIL MEMBER LOPEZ: Here.
6 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Martinez.
7 COUNCIL MEMBER MARTINEZ: Here.
8 CITY CLERK ROBLES: McMahon.
9 COUNCIL MEMBER McMAHON: Here.
10 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Monserrate.
11 COUNCIL MEMBER MONSERRATE: Here.
12 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Moskowitz.
13 COUNCIL MEMBER MOSKOWITZ: Here.
14 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Nelson.
15 COUNCIL MEMBER NELSON: Here.
16 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Palma.
17 COUNCIL MEMBER PALMA: Here.
18 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Perkins.
19 COUNCIL MEMBER PERKINS: Here.
20 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Provenzano.
21 COUNCIL MEMBER PROVENZANO: Here.
22 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Quinn.
23 COUNCIL MEMBER QUINN: Here.
24 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Recchia.
25 COUNCIL MEMBER RECCHIA: Here.
35
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Reed.
3 COUNCIL MEMBER REED: Here.
4 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Reyna.
5 COUNCIL MEMBER REYNA: Here.
6 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Sanders.
7 COUNCIL MEMBER SANDERS: Present.
8 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Seabrook.
9 COUNCIL MEMBER SEABROOK: Here.
10 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Sears.
11 COUNCIL MEMBER SEARS: Here.
12 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Serrano.
13 COUNCIL MEMBER SERRANO: Here.
14 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Stewart.
15 COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART: Here.
16 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Vallone.
17 COUNCIL MEMBER VALLONE: Here.
18 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Vann.
19 COUNCIL MEMBER VANN: Here.
20 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Weprin.
21 COUNCIL MEMBER WEPRIN: Here.
22 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Yassky.
23 COUNCIL MEMBER YASSKY: Here.
24 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Oddo.
25 COUNCIL MEMBER ODDO: Here.
36
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Rivera.
3 COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA: Here.
4 CITY CLERK ROBLES: Speaker Miller.
5 SPEAKER MILLER: I'm here.
6 MAJORITY LEADER RIVERA: A quorum is
7 present.
8 Everyone please rise for the
9 invocation delivered by Rabbi Jonathan Glass.
10 RABBI GLASS: Men and women of the
11 City Council, this Saturday is Arbor Day in the
12 Jewish Calendar. It signifies that time of year when
13 trees in the land of the Bible begin to rejuvenate
14 after a long winter.
15 It is a time that pertains to
16 humanity, as well. As the verse reads:
17 Man is like the tree of the field.
18 We, like the tree, maintain a slow process of growth
19 until we bear the fruit of our maturity.
20 So, let the winter labors of this
21 City Council bring forth a bountiest springtime
22 yield, and let us say amen.
23 MAJORITY LEADER RIVERA: Council
24 Member Nelson.
25 COUNCIL MEMBER NELSON: I make a
37
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 motion to spread the invocation in full upon the
3 record.
4 MAJORITY LEADER RIVERA: So ordered.
5 Adoption of the minutes.
6 Council Member Foster.
7 COUNCIL MEMBER FOSTER: Hi. Thank you.
8 I move to spread the invocation. I move that we
9 adopt the minutes from the last meeting. Thank you.
10 MAJORITY LEADER RIVERA: Thank you
11 very much.
12 Messages and Papers from the Mayor.
13 COUNCIL CLERK CHERRY: None.
14 SPEAKER MILLER: Whoa.
15 COUNCIL CLERK CHERRY: Sorry.
16 M 60.
17 SPEAKER MILLER: That would be
18 received, ordered, printed and filed.
19 COUNCIL CLERK CHERRY: M 61.
20 SPEAKER MILLER: Received, ordered,
21 printed and filed.
22 MAJORITY LEADER RIVERA: Communication
23 from City, County and Borough Offices.
24 Silence in the Chambers, please.
25 COUNCIL CLERK CHERRY: None.
38
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 MAJORITY LEADER RIVERA: Thank you.
3 Again, Communication from City, County and Borough
4 Offices.
5 COUNCIL CLERK CHERRY: None.
6 MAJORITY LEADER RIVERA: Petitions and
7 Communications.
8 COUNCIL CLERK CHERRY: None.
9 MAJORITY LEADER RIVERA: Land Use
10 Call-Ups.
11 COUNCIL CLERK CHERRY: M-62.
12 SPEAKER MILLER: Coupled on the
13 Call-Up vote.
14 COUNCIL CLERK CHERRY: M-63.
15 SPEAKER MILLER: Coupled on the
16 Call-Up vote.
17 At this point I'd ask the Clerk to
18 call the roll on all items coupled on the Land Use
19 Call-Up.
20 COUNCIL CLERK: Addabbo.
21 COUNCIL MEMBER ADDABBO: Aye on all.
22 COUNCIL CLERK: Avella.
23 COUNCIL MEMBER AVELLA: Aye.
24 COUNCIL CLERK: Baez.
25 COUNCIL MEMBER BAEZ: Aye.
39
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 COUNCIL CLERK: Barron.
3 COUNCIL MEMBER BARRON: Aye on all.
4 COUNCIL CLERK: Boyland.
5 COUNCIL MEMBER BOYLAND: Aye on all.
6 COUNCIL CLERK: Brewer.
7 COUNCIL MEMBER BREWER: Aye on all.
8 COUNCIL CLERK: Clarke.
9 COUNCIL MEMBER CLARKE: Aye on all.
10 COUNCIL CLERK: Comrie.
11 COUNCIL MEMBER COMRIE: Aye on all.
12 COUNCIL CLERK: DeBlasio.
13 COUNCIL MEMBER DEBLASIO: Aye.
14 COUNCIL CLERK: Dilan.
15 COUNCIL MEMBER DILAN: Aye on all.
16 COUNCIL CLERK: Felder.
17 (No response.)
18 COUNCIL CLERK: Fidler.
19 COUNCIL MEMBER FIDLER: Aye on all.
20 COUNCIL CLERK: Foster.
21 COUNCIL MEMBER FOSTER: Aye on all.
22 COUNCIL CLERK: Gennaro.
23 COUNCIL MEMBER GENNARO: Aye.
24 COUNCIL CLERK: Gentile.
25 COUNCIL MEMBER GENTILE: Aye on all.
40
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 COUNCIL CLERK: Gerson.
3 COUNCIL MEMBER GERSON: Aye on all.
4 COUNCIL CLERK: Gioia.
5 COUNCIL MEMBER GIOIA: Yes on all.
6 COUNCIL CLERK: Gonzalez.
7 COUNCIL MEMBER GONZALEZ: Aye on all.
8 COUNCIL CLERK: Jackson.
9 COUNCIL MEMBER JACKSON: Aye on all.
10 COUNCIL CLERK: James.
11 COUNCIL MEMBER JAMES: Aye on all.
12 COUNCIL CLERK: Jennings.
13 COUNCIL MEMBER JENNINGS: Aye on all.
14 COUNCIL CLERK: Katz.
15 COUNCIL MEMBER KATZ: Aye on all.
16 COUNCIL CLERK: Koppell.
17 COUNCIL MEMBER KOPPELL: Mr. Majority
18 Leader, I would like to be recorded aye on all of
19 the Land Use Call-Ups, and with the permission of my
20 colleagues, to be recorded aye on all matters on the
21 General Orders Calendar. I have a personal
22 obligation which requires that I leave early with
23 permission of the members.
24 Thank you.
25 MAJORITY LEADER RIVERA: So ordered.
41
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 COUNCIL CLERK: Lanza.
3 COUNCIL MEMBER LANZA: Aye.
4 COUNCIL CLERK: Liu.
5 COUNCIL MEMBER LIU: Yes.
6 COUNCIL CLERK: Lopez.
7 COUNCIL MEMBER LOPEZ: Aye.
8 COUNCIL CLERK: Martinez.
9 (No response.)
10 COUNCIL CLERK: McMahon.
11 COUNCIL MEMBER McMAHON: Aye on all.
12 COUNCIL CLERK: Monserrate.
13 COUNCIL MEMBER MONSERRATE: Aye on
14 all.
15 COUNCIL CLERK: Moskowitz.
16 (No response.)
17 COUNCIL CLERK: Nelson.
18 COUNCIL MEMBER NELSON: Aye on all.
19 COUNCIL CLERK: Palma.
20 COUNCIL MEMBER PALMA: Aye on all.
21 COUNCIL CLERK: Perkins.
22 COUNCIL MEMBER PERKINS: Aye on all.
23 COUNCIL CLERK: Provenzano.
24 COUNCIL MEMBER PROVENZANO: Aye on
25 all.
42
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 COUNCIL CLERK: Quinn.
3 COUNCIL MEMBER QUINN: Aye on all.
4 COUNCIL CLERK: Recchia.
5 COUNCIL MEMBER RECCHIA: Aye on all.
6 COUNCIL CLERK: Reed.
7 COUNCIL MEMBER REED: Aye on all.
8 COUNCIL CLERK: Reyna.
9 COUNCIL MEMBER REYNA: Aye on all.
10 COUNCIL CLERK: Sanders.
11 COUNCIL MEMBER SANDERS: Aye on all.
12 COUNCIL CLERK: Seabrook.
13 COUNCIL MEMBER SEABROOK: Aye.
14 COUNCIL CLERK: Sears.
15 COUNCIL MEMBER SEARS: Aye.
16 COUNCIL CLERK: Serrano.
17 COUNCIL MEMBER SERRANO: Aye.
18 COUNCIL CLERK: Stewart.
19 COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART: Aye on all.
20 COUNCIL CLERK: Vallone.
21 COUNCIL MEMBER VALLONE: Aye on all.
22 COUNCIL CLERK: Vann.
23 COUNCIL MEMBER VANN: Aye on all.
24 COUNCIL CLERK: Weprin.
25 COUNCIL MEMBER WEPRIN: Aye on all.
43
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 COUNCIL CLERK: Yassky.
3 (No response.)
4 COUNCIL CLERK: Felder.
5 (No response.)
6 COUNCIL CLERK: Gallagher.
7 COUNCIL MEMBER GALLAGHER: Aye.
8 COUNCIL CLERK: Oddo.
9 COUNCIL MEMBER ODDO: Yes.
10 COUNCIL CLERK: Rivera.
11 COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA: Yes to all.
12 COUNCIL CLERK: Speaker Mr. Miller.
13 SPEAKER MILLER: Aye.
14 MAJORITY LEADER RIVERA: Today's Land
15 Use Call-Ups were adopted by a vote of 47 in the
16 affirmative, zero in the negative.
17 Communication from the Speaker.
18 SPEAKER MILLER: My colleagues, today
19 I am proud to stand with you, ready to override the
20 Mayor's veto and adopt the strongest and most
21 thoughtful lead abatement law in the country.
22 This law will correct the defects of
23 the previous law. For the first time lead dust, the
24 primary source of lead poisoning will be regulated.
25 We know how children are being
44
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 poisoned, they're being poisoned by dust.
3 This is the for the first time the
4 City of New York is saying lead dust must be
5 regulated, must be eliminated. We must protect our
6 children.
7 In addition, this law appropriately
8 focuses on primary prevention, because every child
9 who is poisoned is a failure for this City. Every
10 child who has lead poison elevation is a child whose
11 future is being harmed.
12 We have to focus on primary
13 prevention, and this law does that, directing
14 resources to troubled buildings, not just to fix
15 current problems, but to prevent children from
16 becoming sick in the first place.
17 This law gives responsible landlords
18 the flexibility they need to comply with reasonable
19 time lines, and the ability to use their own trained
20 staff to fix nearly every problem that may arise.
21 But the law also cracks down on
22 irresponsible landlords who do not keep their
23 buildings in good shape, and as a result place
24 children at risk of long life health affects of lead
25 poisoning.
45
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 Over an extremely lengthy hearing
3 process, I met personally with doctors and health
4 professionals who treat the same children we are
5 trying now to protect, and will indeed protect
6 today.
7 These doctors have endorsed this
8 legislation, and applauded the Council for taking
9 such a bold step to protect the City's most
10 vulnerable.
11 There are indeed some who have
12 criticized this bill, claiming that it will drive
13 away insurance and imperil affordable housing.
14 They speculate, however, without any
15 evidence or real basis in fact, that it will make
16 finding housing more difficult. In fact, we
17 carefully reviewed these issues during our
18 environmental review and during the hearing process
19 and the Council is not turning a blind eye to these
20 concerns, but we cannot base sound public policy on
21 mere speculation.
22 It is not, it is not beyond our grasp
23 to provide both affordable housing and safe,
24 affordable housing.
25 I am extremely disappointed that the
46
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 Mayor vetoed this legislation. His veto would lead
3 countless of the City's most poor and most
4 defenseless and most vulnerable without protection.
5 Today the Council corrects that
6 wrong, and together we speak on behalf of those
7 whose voice does not often reach City Hall, and it's
8 important to remember that while progress has been
9 made, lead poisoning rates are still an epidemic in
10 this City.
11 When 5,000 children are poisoned each
12 year, we cannot say that enough has been done, and,
13 of course, the reality is that testing rates are so
14 low that countless children whose lives and futures
15 have been irreparably harmed, go undetected every
16 year.
17 We cannot turn a blind eye to this
18 public health crisis. This is the right bill. It's
19 the right time for us to enact it. In fact it's
20 overdue, and we must take every step that we can to
21 protect these children.
22 I'm proud of the Council, and I want
23 to particularly thank Deputy Majority Leader Bill
24 Perkins, the sponsor of this bill for his hard work,
25 and I want to thank all of my colleagues here for
47
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 standing up for what is right and protecting the
3 children of this City for what I believe is the most
4 thoughtful, most effective, most rational, most
5 enforceable piece of legislation in the country to
6 protect children from the terrible devastating
7 affects of lead poisoning. And at this point I'd
8 like to ask the Deputy Majority Leader Bill Perkins
9 to say a few words on the subject as well.
10 COUNCIL MEMBER PERKINS: Thank you
11 very much, Speaker for this time and for your
12 support in getting us to this point, and I want to
13 also thank my colleagues who have stood strong in
14 the face of some very, very difficult negotiations
15 and attacks on you personally and on us
16 institutionally, as was evidenced this last two days
17 by advertisements in local newspapers.
18 Let me say that today we give the
19 children in the row houses of our City the same
20 health protection as those who live in the
21 townhouses of Manhattan.
22 We will end lead poisoning as we know
23 it. I simply do not buy the logic that the only
24 alternative children have to lead in their homes is
25 no home at all.
48
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 The notion that one can care about
3 the health and safety of children or one can care
4 about affordable housing but not both is an insult.
5 The claim that insurance will dry up for new housing
6 development is a boogieman tactic. Not a single
7 insurance company testified to that effect, nor has
8 a single company contacted my office, or I dare say
9 even the Speaker's office.
10 The Mayor is just plain wrong on this
11 one, and the thousands of children of color who are
12 poisoned each year deserve better.
13 This is the month in which we
14 acknowledge black history, and in that
15 acknowledgment we recognize that it has been a
16 history of struggle to expand and to include. And,
17 so, today we are proud that Dr. King's arch of
18 justice bends finally towards the children of the
19 lead belt.
20 I want to thank my colleagues for
21 their support. I want to thank my Speaker for his
22 leadership in this regard, and I'm confident that
23 this bill will be a bill for our children and will
24 not hurt out city one iota.
25 Thank you very much.
49
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 SPEAKER MILLER: My colleagues, we are
3 also overriding another veto of an important piece
4 of legislation, electronic death registry system
5 legislation. It would bring relief to families who
6 in their most difficult times currently have to wait
7 days and weeks and sometimes months for attention
8 for basic service that should have been accomplished
9 years and years ago, and I want to particularly
10 thank the Chair of the Health Committee for her
11 leadership on the subject matter and to say a few
12 words on this legislation.
13 COUNCIL MEMBER QUINN: Thank you for
14 the opportunity, Mr. Speaker.
15 Myself and the Speaker, and Gale
16 Brewer, the Chair of the Information and Technology
17 Committee, in the prior session brought forth a
18 piece of legislation that would require that the
19 City embrace the 21st century, and create a system
20 where funeral directors and families can access
21 death certificates on-line.
22 We had months and months of
23 negotiations led by Council Member Brewer on the
24 bill to try to come up with a version of the bill,
25 this very common sensical bill that the
50
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 Administration could support. And after making
3 numerous changes in the bill, still the Bloomberg
4 Administration has needlessly vetoed this
5 initiative.
6 And what this bill will do very
7 specifically is allow funeral directors and will
8 require the Department of Health to create a system
9 by which funeral directors can access death
10 certificates on-line.
11 Presently, believe it or not, every
12 funeral director, whenever there is a death, has to
13 go to 125 Worth Street to get a copy of a death
14 certificate.
15 And if an error has been made, the
16 family has to get the funeral director to go back to
17 125 Worth Street and get an updated copy. This
18 sometimes prevents families from moving forward with
19 burial or closing estates. Sometimes we've heard
20 reports of as much as six months to a year more than
21 is necessary.
22 The Administration says they don't
23 like this initiative because it has time frames
24 built into it, but sadly, a number of years ago the
25 City got a $5 million grant from IBM to create an
51
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 electronic death registry system. That $5 million
3 lead to absolutely nothing. No system at all. So,
4 through their real failure to implement and spend
5 money wisely, the Department of Health has made it
6 clear that we must put time lines in place,
7 otherwise they will not deliver a system that makes
8 sense, would help funeral directors, most
9 importantly would help people in their deepest time
10 of need.
11 And just lastly, I want to say for
12 funeral directors who do not want to engage in
13 electronic death certificates, the bill only
14 requires that 75 percent compliance by funeral
15 directors. So it does leave the option for those who
16 do not want to do electronic death registry. This is
17 a very common sensical idea. It shouldn't have come
18 to a veto. I want to thank the Speaker, and
19 particularly Council Member Brewer for her advocacy
20 on this, and I urge my colleagues to override the
21 veto. It was unanimously overridden by the Health
22 Committee last week.
23 SPEAKER MILLER: That concludes the
24 Communication from the Speaker, Madam Public
25 Advocate.
52
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 PUBLIC ADVOCATE GOTBAUM: Discussion
3 of General Orders.
4 Council Member Barron.
5 COUNCIL MEMBER BARRON: Thank you,
6 Madam Public Advocate.
7 The Mayor should be ashamed of
8 himself on this issue, and I just want to echo the
9 remarks that I've heard the Majority Leader make,
10 Joel Rivera, but once again it seems that the Mayor
11 is not interested in not leaving no child behind,
12 but not leaving no millionaire behind. And it seems
13 as though his interest is with another class of
14 people, and I am personally offended that 80 to 90
15 percent of the children that will be affected by
16 lead poison will be children of color. And this
17 Mayor is vetoing a bill that my colleagues sat down
18 with him and had 20 changes in the bill to try to
19 get him to come on board.
20 He needs to visit and see the impact
21 of lead poisoning on our children. For him to veto
22 this bill is a disgrace to this City.
23 Every family of goodwill should be
24 outraged, but particularly families of color that
25 never forget what this Mayor has done and what he
53
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 thinks about our children.
3 I want to respect and give all the
4 encouragement and praise to Council Member Bill
5 Perkins, for the work that he's done, and all the
6 battling that he had to do, and all of the bogus
7 charges we're going to create homelessness, we're
8 going to create insurance companies not wanting to
9 give non-profits money for insurance for affordable
10 housing, all bogus charges to protect the real
11 estate interests in this City. I want my colleagues
12 to override this strongly, send a strong message to
13 this Mayor that you need to be more concerned about
14 the children.
15 As a matter of fact, if he would show
16 Snapple, and getting $166 million to give our
17 children colored sugar water, which is not healthy
18 for us, if he showed that same concern with
19 protecting our babies from lead poison, this would
20 be a better town. Thank you.
21 PUBLIC ADVOCATE GOTBAUM: Council
22 Member Oddo.
23 COUNCIL MEMBER ODDO: Thank you.
24 Subsequent to the Council's vote on
25 101-A, in December the New York Times did a story
54
1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 written by David Chen on December 21st, a front-page
3 story in the metro section, and the headline was
4 "One Housing World Gives Way To Another," talked
5 about the lack of affordable housing, housing in New
6 York City, and it highlighted a report that was
7 issued a couple of days later of the state of New
8 York City's housing in neighborhoods by the Furhman
9 Center For Real Estate and Urban Policy, and it
10 talked in that report about the long-term, the jump
11 in long-term delinquencies on property taxes. And
12 the author in the report stated he didn't know if it
13 was a blip or he didn't know if it was an early
14 warning sign that we have a weakness in the housing
15 stock. And in it they talked about, well, what would
16 be causing this? And they talked about property tax
17 increase and they talked about rising insurance
18 costs. I've heard from my colleagues, and we've
19 heard from the lead sponsor of the bill again today
20 how the fact that no one from the insurance industry
21 came and testified on this bill, but, you know,
22 let's look at the reality.
23 No one from the insurance industry
24 was going to come in here, get no benefit by
25 testifying on this bill, paint a bull's eye on his
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2 back, and the reality is that large insurers don't
3 issue lead protection. And it falls upon a small
4 group of very small companies, that have the ability
5 to apply to the State Department of Insurance for
6 Exclusion and I think the record should reflect that
7 some companies are in that process of getting out of
8 the insurance business in terms of lead. That has a
9 chilling effect on affordable housing in this City.
10 This is a bill of unintended
11 consequences and when Charles gets his 32 percent up
12 and becomes Mayor, I'll still be in this Council
13 along with my colleagues and we'll have to deal with
14 lead again.
15 We had an opportunity, a fleeting
16 moment to take limited resources and put it in the
17 target areas, and we should have acted with the
18 precision of a scalpel, not with a chainsaw. And my
19 only hope is that when lead comes back to the City
20 Council, we'll get it done the right way then.
21 PUBLIC ADVOCATE GOTBAUM: Council
22 Member Brewer.
23 COUNCIL MEMBER BREWER: Thank you very
24 much. I want to rise to support the electronic death
25 registration system override, which I think you
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1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 will, but I want to mention Christine Quinn and her
3 Committee and also the Speaker, the funeral industry
4 and Stephen Schwartz at the Health Department, all
5 of whom I think are trying to put together a very
6 sophisticated, complicated system so that families
7 in a horrible time in their lives are able to have
8 the best possible access to government.
9 But I do think it is very unfortunate
10 that the technology Mayor is upset that there are
11 deadlines for implementing technology, because
12 that's why this bill was vetoed because there are
13 deadlines.
14 And as Council Member Oddo has said
15 many times, I guess Fresh Kills would not be closed
16 if it wasn't for deadlines. So, I thank you, Council
17 Member about reminding us for the need for
18 deadlines.
19 So, I ask everyone to support the
20 override on electronic death registration system.
21 Thank you.
22 PUBLIC ADVOCATE GOTBAUM: Council
23 Member DeBlasio.
24 COUNCIL MEMBER DeBLASIO: Thank you,
25 Madam Public Advocate.
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2 First of all, I want to thank the
3 Speaker and our Deputy Majority Leader Bill Perkins
4 for their incredible work on the lead paint bill.
5 And I just want to amplify, I want to amplify
6 something the Speaker was mentioning. I don't think
7 we have seen a bill that has gone through more
8 scrutiny and more effort and more testimony. I think
9 there is not a single nook or crannie of this bill
10 that wasn't looked at and analyzed where every
11 single possible voice was not at the table, and I
12 feel absolutely certain that all the constituencies
13 affected were involved in the process in the
14 discussion. I think it was really an exemplary case
15 of trying to bring in every possible position and
16 crafting a very careful and precise final version of
17 the bill, and I give the Speaker and Bill Perkins
18 and their staffs a lot of credit with how carefully
19 drawn this bill was.
20 I want to urge all my colleagues to
21 join in overriding the Mayor's veto.
22 I also want to mention on the
23 resolution defending our civil liberties, that we
24 are going to do something today in New York City
25 which will really have a national effect -- I'm
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1 STATED COUNCIL MEETING
2 sorry, I'm out of order.
3 PUBLIC ADVOCATE GOTBAUM: I'm sorry,
4 Council member, that's a different part of the
5 agenda.
6 COUNCIL MEMBER DeBLASIO: My apologies
7 to the Speaker and the Public Advocate. I'll get you
8 later on that. Thank you.
9 PUBLIC ADVOCATE GOTBAUM: Apology
10 accepted.
11 Seeing nobody else, Report of Special
12 Committees.
13 COUNCIL CLERK CHERRY: None.
14 PUBLIC ADVOCATE GOTBAUM: Reports of