City Hall – Council Member Michael C. Nelson today called on Governor Paterson and the State Legislature to reinstate the “Commuter Tax”, a modest charge on non-residents who work in New York City and benefit from city services. If the tax was reinstated, it would generate approximately $500 million in revenue for the City. Such a funding stream would be critical in light of the City’s current financial situation, which threatens core services such as police and fire protection, education, and senior centers.

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City Hall, November 18, 2008 – In a joint Civil Rights and Women’s Issues Committee meeting, Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn and Women’s Issues Committee Chair Helen Sears held a hearing on legislation to protect women’s access to reproductive health care facilities. The Clinic Access Bill strengthens safeguards for women who are faced with harassment and other hostile acts as they enter and exit local reproductive health care clinics.

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CITY HALL – Speaker Quinn today announced two developments following the Mayor’s financial Plan released on Nov 5th: the schedule for a series of public hearings and the release of the Council’s economic and revenue forecast.

The severity and speed of the unraveling of the financial sector and its impact on the real economy was unanticipated only four months ago when the FY 2009 budget was adopted.

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Calls on Administration to prevent loss of vital resources for Seniors across NYC

City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, along with Aging Committee Chair Maria del Carmen Arroyo, Senior Center Sub-Committee Chair James Vacca and New York City seniors, advocates and providers gathered at City Hall today to call on Mayor Bloomberg and the Department for the Aging (DFTA) to postpone plans for senior service modernization until they can ensure that funding is available for all neighborhood senior centers to remain open and maintain the core services they offer.

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Queens land use plans will create over 5,000 thousand units of affordable housing

City Hall, November 13, 2008 – At today’s Stated Council meeting, the members of the New York City Council will vote on two critically important land use developments in Queens. Together, the Hunter’s Point South and Willets Point development plans will create over 5,000 thousand units of affordable housing and help stimulate the local economy.

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At a news conference today, Speaker Quinn, together with Mayor Bloomberg, Council Member Hiram Monserrate, Land Use Committee Chair Melinda Katz and Deputy Mayor Robert Lieber, announced their support for the Willets Point Redevelopment Project, and urged the rest of the Council to vote in favor of the proposal. The following is a statement from Speaker Quinn.

“The Willets Point Redevelopment Plan is sure to create New York City’s next great neighborhood and I am proud to give it my support.

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The City Council has learned with profound sorrow of the passing of former Council Member Philip Reed. Council Member Reed was a dear friend to countless New Yorkers and a passionately dedicated public servant for many years.

An ardent and tireless pioneer for LGBT rights, Council Member Reed always proudly delivered what he promised to the constituents of his Upper Manhattan community.

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Today the Mayor presented a financial plan to navigate our city through the economic crisis. These are tough times, particularly for New York’s working families, and by every indication, the economic downturn will grow in the coming months and years.

We at the Council recognize the severity of this situation. Difficult decisions will have to be made and serious steps will have to be taken, and Mayor Bloomberg is right to present an early financial plan and to be looking for new revenue and possible savings.

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In yesterday’s historic election, California, Florida and Arizona voters approved measures that legally recognize marriage as a union between one man and one woman. These measures deny thousands of loving, committed same-sex couples to literally hundreds of protections that come with civil marriage.

Today is a bittersweet moment for millions of LGBT Americans across our country. While we can celebrate and find comfort in the fact we will finally have the support of a LGBT friendly White House, I am deeply saddened that voters in these states approved punitive measures that deny the basic and fundamental civil rights of LGBT Americans.

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Terence Tolbert was a kind, caring and compassionate public servant for our City and a true friend of the City Council. Terence devoted himself to New York, most recently as a member of the Bloomberg administration with the Department of Education. During his entire career the City Council and I came to know Terence and consider him an extended member of the City Council family.

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