“The next three bills before me are Introductory Numbers 722, 724 and 726.  These bills would make the Administrative Code consistent with State law by specifically excluding particular income from the formulae used to calculate an individual’s eligibility for rent and tax increase exemption programs.

“Introductory Number 722, sponsored by Council Members Gentile, Addabbo, Baez, Brewer, Comrie, Fidler, Gennaro, Gerson, Gonzalez, James, Liu, McMahon, Monserrate, Nelson, Recchia, Sanders, Seabrook, Stewart, Weprin, Yassky, Quinn, Sears, Avella, Boyland, Katz, Koppell, Speaker Miller and the Public Advocate, Betsy Gotbaum, would allow certain income deductions for the Senior Citizen Homeowners Exemption program – also known
as ‘SCHE.’

Introductory Number 722 would exclude payments made to individuals because of their status as victims of Nazi persecution, and monies earned through employment in the federal foster grandparent program from consideration as part of an individual’s annual income.

“Introductory Number 724, sponsored by Council Members Lopez, Baez, Barron, Brewer, Clarke, Comrie, Fidler, Gerson, Gonzalez, James, Koppell, Liu, McMahon, Monserrate, Nelson, Recchia, Seabrook, Sears, Stewart, Weprin, Gentile, Palma, Katz, Avella, Sanders, Speaker Miller and the Public Advocate, Betsy Gotbaum, would allow certain income deductions for the Disabled Rent Increase Exemption program – also known as ‘DRIE.’

“Introductory Number 726, sponsored by Council Members Recchia, Addabbo, Baez, Barron, Brewer, Comrie, Fidler, Gerson, Gonzalez, James, Koppell, Liu, McMahon Monserrate, Nelson, Seabrook, Stewart, Weprin, Gentile, Quinn, Sears, Avella, Koppell, Katz, Speaker Miller and the Public Advocate, Betsy Gotbaum, would allow certain income deductions for the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption – also known as ‘SCRIE.’

“Introductory Numbers 724 and 726 would exclude the following items from consideration as part of an individual’s annual income:  gifts or inheritances, payments made to individuals because of their status as victims of Nazi persecution, and increases in a public or private pension paid to any member of the household so long as the increase, in any given year, does not exceed the consumer price index for such year.

“These three bills are commonsense measures that will conform our law to state law and to our current practice. I would like to thank the Commissioner of the Department of Finance, Martha Stark, the Commissioner of the Department for the Aging, Edwin Mendez-Santiago, the Director of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, Matt Sapolin, their staff, and the City Council for their work on these bills.”