REMARKS
Communication from Adrienne E. Adams
0:17:30
·
11 min
Council Member Adrienne E. Adams opens the session with acknowledgments, significant dates mentions, and a legislative agenda overview.
- Acknowledges a fatal fire incident and upcoming significant dates, including International Women's Day and National Equal Pay Day.
- Highlights the wage disparity issue among women, especially women of color, and the council's efforts towards achieving pay equity.
- Provides an overview of the legislative agenda, focused on financial and land use items, landmark designations, and various bill introductions including support for home care aides and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
- Emphasizes the importance of addressing systemic issues within the municipal workforce and supporting essential workers for the betterment of the city's welfare.
Adrienne E. Adams
0:17:30
Thank you, Meta majority leader, and good afternoon, everyone.
0:17:34
Before we begin, I want to acknowledge the loss.
0:17:37
Of a New Yorker who died during a fatal fire, and council member Sanchez is district in the Bronx.
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We also wish a speedy recovery for the firefight who was injured while responding bravely to the fire.
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Our hearts are with their loved ones during this difficult time.
0:17:54
March 6th is the Independence Day of Ghana.
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When we commemorate the country's independence from the United Kingdom in 1957, Ganae And Communities, I wish you a happy Independence Day.
0:18:08
Tomorrow is International Women's Day.
0:18:12
Yeah.
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We can clap for that.
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As a historic women majority and the men who get it.
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New York City Council, we truly have prioritized policies and solutions to confront some of the greatest challenges facing women across our con our city.
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Women are the backbone of our communities.
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And when women are safe, healthy, and have access to opportunity, we all succeed.
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It will remain a pillar and focus a our work in this legislative body to prioritize equitable outcomes for all women in this city.
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Happy International Women's Day.
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This evening of no.
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The evening of May 10th, and I do have my glasses on.
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Okay.
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The evening of May 10 marks the start of Ramadan for our Muslim communities.
0:19:08
As our Muslim neighbors fast from sunrise to sundown, I want to extend my best wishes as you observe the blessed month Ramadan.
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This year, National Equal Pay Day falls on March 12, symbolizing just how much more women across our nation must work to earn what their male counterparts earned in the last year in New York for every dollar that a man makes.
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Women earn an average of 77¢.
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The disparity is even wider for women of color, with Asian women making 69¢, black women making 63¢, and Latino women making 49¢ for every single dollar that a man makes.
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This makes no sense.
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Despite the progress we've made, obviously there is more work needed for us to close this gap.
0:20:04
Women keep our city running.
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But are still not paid equally for our equal labor.
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The council has focused on pay equity and addressing systemic issues within our own municipal workforce for years now.
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That work continues.
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And as we approach National Equal Pay Day, I look forward to our continued work together.
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To finally achieve pay equity for all of us.
0:20:31
On March 17th, we will be celebrating Saint Patrick's Day.
0:20:35
The council hosted a tremendous Saint Patrick's Day celebration right here in the chambers last night, and many of us marched together in sunny side and Woodside last weekend for the 25th annual Saint Patrick's for all parade in Queens and street co naming celebration.
0:20:51
I look forward to once again marching down 5th Avenue next week for the annual Saint Patrick's Day parade.
0:20:59
Before we continue, I'd love to tell everybody that it's time to get ready to spring forward and lose that hour.
0:21:08
Wake up, wake up, wake up.
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Daylight savings time will begin on March 10th.
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So remember to take your nap on Saturday colleagues and set your clock ahead 1 hour this Sunday.
0:21:19
Now let's move on to our stated agenda.
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First, we'll vote on the following finance items.
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The Council's fiscal year 2025 proposed rating budget includes $75,500,000 for the personal services and $24,300,000 for OTPS or other than personal services.
0:21:37
Next will vote on the following land use items.
0:21:40
230 Ken Avenue rezoning will facilitate a new 8 story mixed use residential, commercial, and community facility building and council member wrestlers district.
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It will feature 40 housing units, including approximately 12 affordable units, and 20 bicycle parking spaces.
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The council is modifying the application to strike NIH option 2 and remove the Con Edison utility property from the rezoning area.
0:22:03
Tim Bell Terrace, a UDP approval and disposition of city owned property to facilitate the development of a 19 story building and council member, Salam's district.
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It will include 330 affordable housing units, 97 units of supportive housing, and a ground floor community facility theater for community programs.
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Offering a permanent home to the Afro Latin jazz music and art center.
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There will also be private outdoor recreation space for tenants a green roof, a laundry room, a fitness center, and 75 parking spaces.
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And a new 547 seat primary school and council member dinner with its district.
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The council will also vote on 3 landmark designations, the Joseph Rodman Drake Park and enslaved people's burial ground.
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A park and council member Salamanca's district that contains 2 colonial error cemeteries.
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The Hunt Willard Leggett cemetery for early for early settlers families and an enslaved people cemetery for those 4 to labor for those families in the Hunt's Point Neighborhood of the Bronx.
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The Barkin Lebanon Company Office Pavilion, a minimalist structure and council member Keban's district, that was originally part of a factory that manufactured women's coats in the late 19 fifties.
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And the Modiliter building named for the architectural lighting company that our detect Paul Rudolph founded with his business partner Ernst Wagner in 1976.
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The Modiliter Building And Council member Powers District is a unique and distinguished example of late 20th century modern design.
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It contains commercial space, an expanded duplex apartment and two floors used for exhibitions and events.
0:23:39
Today, we'll also vote on the following resolutions.
0:23:42
Resolution 202, sponsored by me, calling on the New York State legislature to pass and the governor to sign legislation to increase the wages and improve the working conditions of home care aids.
0:23:53
It is vital that we support these essential workers and advance their well-being, particularly amidst the growth of New York's home care workforce that provides care for patients throughout our state.
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It is important to note that the state controls labor regulations and Medicaid reimbursement rates.
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That impact the wages and working conditions of home care aids.
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The state department of labor's regulation limits pay to 13 hours even when long grueling shifts can extend for as long as 24 hours.
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That's why we're passing this register resolution today.
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To call him the governor and the state legislature to to act on existing legislation and propose changes that can improve these conditions.
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We look forward to working with them to strengthen and support this vital workforce.
0:24:43
We thank our staff members Elizabeth Arts and Nicholas Connell.
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We will also vote on the following pieces of legislation, introduction 172, sponsored by majority leader Amanda Farries.
0:24:53
Would a men local law 33 of 2024 to clarify that any driver of a 4 hire vehicle within an approved tablet with an approved tablet in their vehicle.
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Would receive a minimum of 20 percent of the gross revenue it generates.
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The bill would also set the fee for the interior advertising company license at $500.
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We thank our staff members Mark Chen, Kevin Kotowski, John Bassil, and Connor Mealy.
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Introduction 1 B, sponsored by me, would designate the animal care centers of New York City facility in Queens as the Paul A Valone, Queens Animal Care Center.
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Named for former counsel member Paul Valone, who was a colleague and dear friend of mine and many others in this body.
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Former council member Malone was a passionate advocate for animals and their care.
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And he advanced many bills to support their well-being while he served here in the council.
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This includes his bill establishing local law 123 of 2018, which requires the Department of Health And Mental Hygiene to ensure that full service animal shelters are operated in all five boroughs.
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Council member of Alon's legislation was the culmination.
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Of a multigenerational effort that started over 2 decades ago under his father who we call speaker 1.
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Speaker Peter Malone Senior, and it continued with his brother, former counsel member Peter Malone Junior.
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We thank our beloved Malone family, for their dedicated public service to our city and New Yorkers overall.
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And your long standing commitment to the welfare of precious animals.
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This renaming is a fitting tribute, and I'm so proud that we can continue to honor council member of Malone's memory and legacy in his mind and your home borrow of Queen's.
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We are also grateful to the entire Malone family for sharing Paul with our entire city.
0:26:50
I wanna acknowledge that members of the Malone family are right here in Chambers with us today, including his wife, Anna Marie, and their beautiful children.
0:27:26
Former member Peter Malone Junior was here earlier this morning for the vote, and we also appreciate all of our friends at Animal Care Centers of New York City, and everyone who made this important legislation possible.
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We thank our staff members, Sarah List, Christopher Pepe, Sarah Suter, and Minerva Book.
0:27:45
Introduction 17 B, sponsored by council member Justin Brennan would require the installation of electric vehicle charging equipment in open parking lots and parking garages with 10 or more spaces that are licensed by the Department of Consumer And Worker Protection.
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It also sets future requirements for all other lots and garages with 10 or more spaces.
0:28:05
The existing public charging network for electric vehicles throughout New York City is small, which poses a barrier to accelerating electric vehicle adoption.
0:28:14
This bill aims to rectify that shortage in our city.
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We thank our staff members, Taylor Zaloni and Andrew Bourne.
0:28:21
And introduction for a, sponsored by council member Alexa Abiles would require cruise ships with shore power capability to connect to shore power systems when docked.
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Whenever shore power is available, and is safe and practicable to do so.
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This requirement would be enforced by the New York City Economic Development Corporation or EDC which administers the 2 cruise terminals in New York City.
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EDC would also be required to create and regularly update community traffic mitigation plans in the neighborhoods around each terminal in consultation with the Department of Transportation, the police department, and members of the public who reside in the neighborhoods surrounding cruise terminals.
0:29:04
We thank our staff members, Alex Polanoff, David Seitzer and William Hondak.
0:29:10
Thank you for your attention colleagues.
0:29:12
Now I would like to turn it back over to our majority leader.