Senator Gianaris: No Tax Help for Big Electric by Rebecca Henely > YourNabe.com

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State Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria) condemned a bill passed in the Senate Monday to give tax abatements to power generators, saying it would provide them with an unfair tax benefit.

“I think they’re trying to use the excuse of rate payer relief to give a tax break to their friends in the energy industry,” Gianaris said of the Senate Republicans, all of whom voted for the bill along with three Queens Democrats.

Gianaris has been critical of potential increases to electric rates. The bill, sponsored by state Sen. George Maziarz (R-Newfane), offers property tax abatements to power generators on the grounds that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission did not take into account the increased peak demand expected from New York City between 2011 and 2014 when setting the tax benefits for the power generators. The bill has been sent to the state Assembly, but has not been passed.

Maziarz did not respond for comment by press time Tuesday evening.

Gianaris, who supports a bill by Sen. Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island) that would prevent FERC’s increase in energy capacity prices for power generators from being passed on to city residents, said Maziarz’s measure would give a windfall to the energy industry and Lanza’s bill should have been passed instead.

FERC had originally planned to increase capacity prices to offset city property taxes, even though the city already offers property tax credits to power generators. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Gov. Andrew Cuomo have come out against FERC’s decision.

“The last thing we want to do is be giving money away to an industry that’s experiencing record profits,” Gianaris said.

The Senate has not passed Lanza’s bill. The Staten Island senator also voted for Maziarz’s bill.

In addition to the Senate Republicans, seven Democrats voted for Maziarz’s legislation, including state Sens. Joe Addabbo (D-Howard Beach), Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst) and Toby Stavisky (D-Whitestone). State Sen. Shirley Huntley (D-Jamaica) was excused from voting.

NYS Senator Stewart-Cousins Announces Legislation to Bar Discrimination Against Unemployed | New York State Senate

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Bill Would Level the Playing Field for Unemployed Job Seekers

Today, Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins (35th District- D/WF/I) announced at a press conference in her district office, the introduction of Senate bill 5316. The bill would make the unemployed a "protected class" in New York and make it illegal for employers to deny out-of-work applicants an interview or position solely because they are jobless. It would also prohibit employers from posting job advertisements that discourage the unemployed from applying to vacant positions.

The bill is co-sponsored in the Assembly by Assemblyman Keith Wright.

Joining Senator Stewart-Cousins at the press conference were several unemployed Westchester residents who said they had all experienced discrimination in some form because they are unemployed. Senator Stewart-Cousins says their experiences are representative of an increasingly common hiring practice throughout New York and the nation.

“It is fundamentally unfair for employers to refuse to hire, or even accept applications from individuals who are out of work. With the unemployment rate in the State still at staggeringly high levels, this prevents people who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own from getting back on their feet. It is discriminatory, it is wrong and it must not continue,” said Senator Stewart-Cousins.

This announcement came on the same day that the New York State Department of Labor is set to release its latest unemployment statistics. Last month, the Department of Labor reported that the unemployment rate in New York State was 8%.

“This legislation levels the playing field in the job market and makes sure that those who have been hit hardest by the recession are not at a disadvantage in the hiring process,” she continued.

On display at the press conference were several job advertisements by New York employers that expressly stated that applicants would only be considered if they were employed. In one case, a Craigslist ad for a building superintendent position in the Bronx stated “You MUST currently be employed as a Superintendent- This is a REQUIREMENT.” Senator Stewart-Cousins’ legislation would make these discriminatory job ads illegal in New York, similar to a law signed by the Governor of New Jersey in April.

“We have an obligation as legislators, to do what’s right and make sure that the unemployed have a fighting chance at being a part of this economic recovery," the Senator added.

A recent study by SUNY Stonybrook Professor Todd Pittinsky and UCLA M.B.A. students Geoffrey C. Ho, Margaret Shih and Daniel Walters also shows that discrimination against the unemployed is a significant issue. The study found that unemployed job applicants are less likely to receive interviews than employed applicants with the same qualifications.

"Our research suggests that the unemployed may have very legitimate concerns about bias against them,” said SUNY Stonybrook Professor Todd Pittinsky in a statement. “Perhaps most surprising was that these more negative evaluations occurred even when we clarified for research participants that while the worker was unemployed, it was for no cause of his or her own doing.”

The issue has also received nationwide attention. News reports by national sources such as CNN, ABC News and HuffingtonPost have pointed to the growing trend of unemployment discrimination in the job market around the country.

In February, the Equal Employment Opportunity Center held a public meeting on the subject after receiving a letter signed by several members of Congress (including five from New York) urging them to investigate the matter. Several presenters at the meeting confirmed that unemployed job applicants around the country are facing discrimination in the hiring process.

Senator Toby Ann Stavisky co-sponsors the legislation. In a statement, she said: "In this difficult economy it is unconscionable that an unemployed job seeker faces discrimination from potential employers. I am proud to be a co-sponsor of this bill because people seeking work should be on equal footing -- regardless of employment status -- with all other applicants."

Senator Velmanette Montgomery, also a co-sponsor of S. 5316, released this statement: “In these difficult economic times, when wonderfully capable people have been laid off through no fault of their own, and are not able to immediately find other employment, it is imperative that New York State make a clear statement that discrimination in hiring based on current employment status is illegal and will not be tolerated. I thank and applaud my colleague, Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, for drafting this important and compassionate piece of legislation. I am proud to be a co-sponsor."

Senator Jose Serrano, who co-sponsors the bill, said: "Considering the high rate of unemployment in New York, excluding a job applicant based on their unemployment status is not only discriminatory, but nonsensical. This bill will level the playing field, giving those who were laid off for reasons unrelated to job performance the opportunity to compete for and obtain any position that they’re fully qualified to hold. I commend Senator Stewart-Cousins for advocating on behalf of unemployed New Yorkers seeking to make positive contributions to our great state."

Another co-sponsor, Senator Michael Gianaris, said: “New Yorkers need jobs and we must do what we can to make it easier for the unemploiyed to find work. Denying the unemployed the opportunity to find a job turns the world on its head and will only prolong the difficult economic climate we face today. Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins deserves our thanks for championing this proposal and I look forward to seeing it enacted.”

New York State Senator Joe Addabbo is a co-sponsor of S. 5316 and the ranking member of the Senate’s Labor Committee. In a statement, Senator Addabbo said, “The unemployment rate in Queens, the city and the state, even the nation overall, is between 8.5 - 9 percent. While some pundits have noted that the worst of the long recession has ended, many of my people have been seeking jobs for the past year or even 18 months. Those who want to work and weren't laid off through their own fault, but only due to budget cutbacks, must have a level playing field to compete for jobs. Employers who are allowed to advertise for new hires that make jobs available only to those ‘currently employed’ will just keep our unemployment rate and length of time to find a new job at current all-time high levels. That's why I support Sen. Stewart-Cousins' efforts to change the current New York law that for too long has allowed employers, employment or licensing agencies to continue such an arbitrary, discriminatory practice as targeting the jobless by refusing to hire them."

Mark Weprin Leads Property Tax "Revolt" at City Hall

left to right: Bay Terrace President Warren Schreiber, Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Council Member Mark S. Weprin, and Assemblymember David I. Weprin lead a “tax revolt” at City Hall against outrageous real property tax assessment increases.

New York City Council Member Mark S. Weprin (D-Oakland Gardens), founder of the City Council Co-op and Condo caucus, stood with Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Senator Tony Avella, Assemblymember Edward C. Braunstein, Assemblymember Grace Meng, Assemblymember David I. Weprin, Council Member Daniel J. Halloran, Council Member Peter Koo, co-op shareholders, and co-op board members and presidents from Eastern Queens to protest the outrageous increases in real property tax assessments on co-ops and condos. They called on Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Department of Finance Commissioner David M. Frankel to rescind the increases because they are arbitrary, inconsistent, and unfair.

“These increases cannot stand,” said Council Member Mark S. Weprin. “As an official who represents tens of thousands of co-op and condo residents, I will continue to fight for tax equity.”

The rally and property tax “revolt” took place in advance of City Council Finance hearings to be held on Monday, May 2 at 10 AM at 250 Broadway. At that time, Council Members will call on Commissioner Frankel to explain how he can justify the increases or rescind them immediately.

Since the New York City Department of Finance (DOF) released its real property tax assessments earlier this year, there has been considerable and well-justified angst on the part of Queens co-op and condo boards. When DOF changed the valuation methods, some co-ops saw their valuations rise by as much as one hundred fifty percent, at a time when property values are basically flat. DOF later agreed to limit increases to fifty percent.

“I am a shareholder in a co-op where valuation skyrocketed one hundred forty-seven percent this year, and then DOF decided to cap increases at fifty percent, for this year only,” said Senator Toby Ann Stavisky. “Fifty percent is totally arbitrary and is still a very large increase on middle class families.”

It has also been reported that a computer glitch at DOF was responsible for some of the unusually high assessments.

“The failure of DOF to recognize its mistakes for three months, only to ultimately blame all of its failures on a computer glitch, is simply unacceptable,” said Assemblymember Edward C. Braunstein. “It's time for DOF to abandon its effort to balance New York City’s budget on the backs of co-op owners in Queens.”

"Our ongoing fiscal recovery depends on our neighbors being secure in their homes and able to afford their groceries and medications,” said Assemblymember Grace Meng. “This plan doesn't allow for that; it's simply pickpocketing."

“The City’s formula for valuing these properties doesn’t add up,” said Council Member Daniel J. Halloran. “This is just a hidden co-op tax on my constituents.”

Council Member Peter Koo said, "DOF stated that a computer glitch is the cause for a one hundred forty-seven percent tax assessment increase for co-ops and condos in Queens. This is an unacceptable answer, and whatever glitch occurred should be corrected and assessments re-evaluated.”

"DOF was caught red-handed using commercial properties to value residential co-ops,” said Bob Friedrich, President of Glen Oaks Village Owners. “The Presidents Co-op Council, an affiliation of fifty co-op Board Presidents in Queens, is calling for an independent investigation and is preparing to file a lawsuit if these flawed valuations are imposed."

“Co-ops and condos represent a last bastion of middle class housing in New York City,” said Warren Schreiber, President of Bay Terrace Cooperative, Section One. “As property taxes continue to rise, many long-time residents could be forced from their apartments.”

There may also be a need to correct the underlying issue with legislation at the state level.

"I have introduced legislation to reclassify certain property held in cooperative form," said Assemblymember David I. Weprin. “This will better reflect that the units are primary residences, not investment properties.”