Transcript: Mayor de Blasio Visits the North Shore Towers to Discuss the Senior Citizen Housing Exemption Tax Abatement

July 20, 2017

Mayor Bill de Blasio: Mario, thank you very much. That’s my kind of introduction. Thank you, Mario, thank you for your leadership, everyone on the board thank you. I am so pleased to be here, this place is kind of legendary, I have to tell you, as the epitome of a middle class community that works. I know there are people here who brought up their families here, and stayed and have loved every moment of it. This is tight knit community. This is a wonderful community. And it’s, to me, a real pleasure to be with you, to talk about the ways we have to keep supporting and uplifting a community like this because even though it’s been tight knit, even though so many families have succeeded here, even though so many people love living here, we know what’s happening in our city. This city is gotten more and more expensive. Cost of living has gone up and up, it’s gotten tougher for people to make ends meet, even middle class folks. So I wanted to get together with you today to talk about, and I want to hear of course from the elected officials who represent the community. So I’m going to say a few things, they’re going to say a few things, and then I look forward to going around and meeting everyone. But look, you know, in so many ways North Shore Towers represents the American Dream, right? That people worked really, really hard, everyone worked hard here right?

[Applause]

People worked really hard to make sure – still working hard, there you go – to make sure they could get a place to live that was really right for bringing up a family and for staying for the long term. And that dream has been realized here. We’ve got to keep it that way. We know all over the city, all over the country a lot of folks who reached the middle class are now finding it hard to stay in the middle class and to live the kind of lifestyle they deserve. And that’s where we have to come in and do more and more to help people out and help make peoples’ lives better. So I’m going to say a few things about that effort. But I want to take a moment to also thank, before you hear from me and the elected officials, I wanted to thank people who do so much in our City government to improve the lives of everyday New Yorkers. And obviously to improve the lives of residents of Queens and by the way you know its Queens Week right? Everyone knows its Queens Week?

[Applause]

The whole City government and I’ve – you’ve heard the phrase but I want to make sure you understand what it means. The entire City government, all the deputy mayors, all the commissioners, everyone relocated out of City Hall, out of their buildings and went to Borough Hall in Queens. So the whole governments here, the only question is Melinda Katz going to let us go back to City Hall or is she going to keep us here?

Melinda Katz, Queens Borough President:  Yes.

Mayor: Okay, you’re going to let us go back? Okay. But I want to mention some commissioners who do so much good for this city. First of all, all the wonderful senior programs that the City of New York supports, that’s because of the good work of our Commissioner for the Department for the Aging Donna Corrado. Where are you Donna? Take a bow, stand up. Come on Donna.

[Applause]

And this city does so much to provide opportunity and equality for people with disabilities, and there are all lot of – you know we don’t recognize in society enough just how many people face a disability, and it’s our job to help make sure their lives can be good and equal and there’s opportunity throughout. And the guy who helps us do that every day is our Commissioner Victor Calise. Victor, thank you so much.

[Applause]

And this is the man you want to know because we’re going to talk about tax breaks for homeowners who are seniors, we’re going to talk about rent freezes for renters who are seniors, all of that goes back to the Department of Finance, the man with the money and the good news is he likes to give it away to people who need help, especially seniors. Commissioner for the Department of Finance, Jacques Jiha. Thank you so much.

[Applause]

And finally, I want to point out these great young people here who are doing such important work. Everyone in this room knows – I’m going to do a show of hands, how many people at some point in your life were frustrated in dealing with the City government bureaucracy? Raise your hand if you’ve had a frustrating experience with the bureaucracy. I’m a homeowner in Brooklyn, I will raise my hand too because I’ve had the experience as well. So these folks are from the Public Engagement Unit, and it’s a great operation that goes out into communities and talks to people about what they need and helps them cut red tape and get the help they need. So, today, we’re going to talk about some of these opportunities to get you support that you may not realize you deserve from the City government. Let’s thank them for taking government out to the people and making it for them.

[Applause]

So, let me go right into the changes that we’re making. But first, where do we start? So, we just finished the legislative session up in Albany. My colleagues will talk about that. They did great work. Before the legislative session here was the deal – if you were a homeowner, senior, or disabled and you made up to $37,400 you got property tax relief. But a lot of people didn’t even know they qualified. 

So, they could have gotten the property tax break and they didn’t even know it. So, one of the things we keep promoting is right now if you are a homeowner and you make up to that amount of money, you can get a break. We want these good folks to help sign up anyone who qualifies.

But we also wanted to go farther and so we worked with our colleagues in Albany and we put this money in the City budget to make those tax breaks deeper, to reach more people. So, a piece of legislation was passed in Albany. It is now awaiting the Governor’s signature. I’m very hopeful that the Governor is going to sign it because there are thousands of seniors who will benefit.

And here’s what the new rule will be – if you make up to $58,400 in household income you will get a tax break on your property tax bill. That’s what the new law is. 

So, we know that’s going to make a huge difference for so many people. Let’s see if people like the idea of more property tax breaks for seniors – I think you do.

[Applause]

So, this bill’s going to reach 32,000 senior households – one-third of them are in the borough of Queens. So, this is a bill – and I know the Borough President likes this phrase – this will disproportionately help Queens. Do you like that? Do you like the sound of that?

[Applause]

Pro-Queens legislation. Here’s the other thing – 32,000 households will benefit. Here is the average benefit per year – $1,750 back in your pocket. That’s real money, my friends.

[Applause]

And that’s money people can use for everything in their life. Look, I’ve heard from so many people. I’ve heard from seniors, again – folks who worked hard to be a part of the middle class and did everything right throughout their life but are still struggling, making tough choices between what they have pay for housing, for medicine, for food. All the basics. We want to lighten that burden.

So, we know for the folks who qualify here, if you’re getting – typically you’re getting $1,750 back in your pocket. That’s really going to allow people to live a better life. And that’s every year. And we want to keep doing things like that to help.

So, with that, since I’ve now established that this is legislation that especially helped Queens and we were honored to put the money to pay for it in the last City budget – voted on last month – this is a good time to welcome forward a woman who, every day, fights for Queens.

I need to tell you, this is a phrase maybe you’ll think is a good or a bad thing, but I’m going to tell you the truth. Melinda Katz is a nudge. 

[Laughter]

Okay. She calls – and Vicky, you’re right, I think – she calls me. She emails me. She texts me. Wherever I go, she finds me.

[Laughter]

And she’s always got something she wants for Queens and she will not stop. I’m being followed and she will not stop.

[Applause]

And that describes a great borough president. Ladies and gentlemen, Melinda Katz.

[Applause]

[...]

And Borough Hall is City Hall this week, okay. Thank you so much, Borough President.

So, you know I talked about the point about how we put money back in people’s pockets particularly folks who need it to live a decent life. So, I want you to know, your Assemblyman has been kind of obsessed with this topic. And I know he’s made it a focal point of his work in Albany to look at how to bring fairness to seniors in particular and how to make sure the tax system is more fair.

And that is tough work. That’s not easy but he’s devoted himself to it. So, I want to congratulate him and bring forward your Assemblyman Ed Braunstein.

[Applause]

And he’s one of the only elected officials that makes me stand up straight. Like, look at that.

[Laughter]

[...]

Well done, brother. Thank you, Ed.

So, I want to make two points from what Ed said. First of all, while we’re on the way to try and figure out the bigger solution on the property tax system, again, we need to make sure that everyone who qualifies for these property tax breaks gets them. And as I said, there’s also a rent freeze for seniors who are renters.

But it’s amazing, on that rent freeze for seniors, there’s about 70,000 seniors and also disabled folks who are qualifying for rent freeze and not getting it yet because they have not known to fill out the fill out the paperwork or didn’t know how to fill out the paperwork or whatever it was. So, we’re trying to get to all of them.

But the same on this with the property tax break for senior homeowners. Right now, there’s lots of people who qualify that aren’t getting that money in their pocket. That’s why these good people do their work.

And I’m asking everyone today, after today to please spread the word to anyone that you know – family, friends – to let them know that there’s money available they may not be taking advantage of. We want to get it to them.

But to the other point Ed made – he’s totally right. I want to be very straightforward about this. The property tax system – I don’t know how it got this way, I really don’t, over decades. It’s clearly not consistent across boroughs and across types of homes. It doesn’t make sense. It’s not transparent enough.

What I’ve said is we’re going to have to do something very, very challenging but very necessary which is to reform the entire thing. And Ed’s right, some people in that process when you really even it out and create consistency, some people are going to end up paying a little more or maybe a lot more, some people, a little less or maybe a lot less.

But whatever it is, we have to do a public process out in front of all the people of this city where we look at the different issues and figure out what fairness looks like and what consistency looks like.

And then we have to pass legislation at the City level and the State level. And that’s going to be a huge endeavor but I want you to know I’ve heard from so many people in Queens, not just during Queens Week but for years, that this is not a fair situation and the only way to solve it is to open up the hood, look at the whole thing, and rework the entire property tax system.

So, that’s what I’m committed to do – will not be easy but it’s something that the people of New York City deserve.

With that, I want to bring forward someone who I’ve worked with for years and years, and he is an incredible public servant. He was the chair of the Finance Committee in the City Council so he knows plenty about this issue too. He’s certainly one of the people I’m going to be turning to for help and advice as we figure out what a fair property tax system looks like.

But he has been an outstanding public servant, now, representing so many people in Queens in Albany, and doing it well. Assembly member David Weprin. 

[Applause]

[...]

Thank you very much. Thank you.

Last but not least – so, this man is a wise man. He’s done different things in government. He has really won the respect of people all over the city for his knowledge of how government works and how to get things done. But I have to tell you something, he has another hidden skill, another part of his life that people don’t talk about but I have seen with my own eyes.

I’m going to divulge this now, Barry, okay. This man, Barry Grodenchik, is an outstanding volleyball player.

[Laughter]

Okay. Now, he doesn’t show you his really buff physique typically behind that business suit but once he gets on the volleyball court he is a monster and I commend you.

And I thank you for all you’re doing for these communities. Council member Barry Grodenchik.

[Applause]

[...]

Alright. Barry, I’m going to get you your double yellow line, okay. That’s a commitment. Everyone, thank you so much for the chance to be with you. I look forward to going around and meeting each and every one of you. Thank you very much. God bless you all.

[Applause]