City Council

1023 ArRI 9 P 2: 0 7' CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2023 5:00P.M. CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS - ROOM 206 CITY HALL. MOUNT VERNON. NEW YORK VIA FACEBOOK.COM/MOUNTVERNONNY LEGISLATION AND PUBLIC WORKS PERMISSION I L 'I An ordinance requesting permission for free parking in Municipal Lot 12 to facilitate the "Earth Day Spruce-Up" Event. (Free parking will only be available in Municipal Lot 12 - located on South 3'd Avenzre between l"' and 2"d Streets on Saturday, April 22, 2023, from 8.'00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.) RESOLUTION 2. A resolution of the City Council of the City of Mount Vernon, New York highlighting Black Maternal Health Week. FINANCE AND PLANNING LOCAL LAW 3. An ordinance requesting permission to amend the NO. l Senior Citizen Exemption on City Property - Persons Sixty-Five (65) Years or Over, as follows: Percentage of Assessed Annual Income Valuation Exempt from Taxation I 50% $0 to $29,000.00 $29,001.00 to $30,000.00 45% $30,001.00 to $31,000.00 40% I $31,001.00to $32,000.00 35% $32,001.00 to $32,900.00 ' 30% $32,901.00 to $33,800.00 25% $33,801.00 to $34,700.00 20% $34,701.00 to $35,600.00 15% $35,601.00to $36,500.00 10% , $36,501.00 to $37,400.00 W- U{t) APRl 9 AN ORDINANCE REQUESTING FREE PARKING IN MUNICIPAL LOT 12 TO FACILIT ATE THE i "EARTH DAY SPRUCE-UP" EVENT WHEREAS, the City Council is authorized to regulate parking meters located in the City of Mount Vernon pursuant to Chapter 256 of the City Code; and WHEREAS, by letter dated April 7, 2023, the President of the Mount Vernon Downtown Merchants Association has requested that the City Council enact legislation to authorize free parking in Municipal Lot 12 (located on South 3rd Avenue between Ist and 2nd Streets) on Saturday, April 22, 2023, from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. to facilitate the "Earth Day Spruce-Up" event; and WHEREAS, on that day, our merchants and adult voliu'iteers will help beautify the South 4'h Avenue Shopping Corridor (between Ist and 3rd Streets) while our young student volunteers help to spnice up the Community Garden located on South 3rdAvenue (between Ist and 2nd Streets). Activities will include painting planters, restoring raised bed gardens, planting flowers, mulching, and general cleanup; and WHEREAS, this free parking event will help reduce vehicle traffic and promote foot traffic along the South 4" Avenue corridor...thus supporting local merchants on one of their busiest days. It will also decrease the time volunteers spend hunting for parking...thus reducing emissions; and WHEREAS, this Earth Day Spnice-Up event is being coordinated in partnership with Local Initiatives Support Corp (LISC N Y), SUNY Westchester Community College, Mount Vernon Center, and the City of Mount Vernon; NOW, THEREFORE, The City of Mount Venion, in City Council convened, does hereby ordain and enact: Section 1. Parking meter operation and enforcement is hereby suspended to offer free parking in Municipal Lot 12 (located on South 3rdAvenue between Ist and 2nd Streets) on Saturday, April 22, 2023, firom 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. to facilitate the "Earth Day Spmce-Up" event. Section 2. The City Clerk is hereby directed to forward a copy of this ordinance to the Commissioner of Public Safety and the City Court of the City of Mount Vernon, Traffic Part. Section 3. This ordinance shall take effect immediately. Councilperson ADOPTEDBY CITY90UNCIL " 'i/<a!/7 1 LL- a) in(S) CCI APPROVED o Dept. c I gaCO APRl 9 2U23 SPEa A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK HIGHLIGHTING BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH WEEK of Health and Human Services (HHS) is Qie!n6,the U.S. Department celebrating Black Maternal Health Week, which takes place April II 17 each year during National Minority Health Month, with announcements and events across the Department and its agencies; and !4(!Ei(e'a@t, President Joseph R. Biden officially proclaimed April 11th through April 17, 2023, as Black Maternal Health Week to raise awareness of the state of Black maternal health in the United States; and !4aE3)t(effl.6,the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among developed nations, and disproportionately high rates which are 2.5-3 times higher for Black and American Indian and Alaska Native women compared to non-Hispanic whites; and !4e3ae!:,Black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than their white counterparts, and infant mortality is nearly two-times as high in Black communities. The most recent statistics show that the rate of preterm birth among Black women is about 50oA higher than the rate of preterm birth among white women; and "!4(Pie!g6,the HHS, through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), is announcing the availability of approximately $468 million in fiinding related to maternal and child health across several programs; and City Council of Mount Vernon hereby recognizes Black 3Ey(eh@'['\)(ea, the Maternal Health Week, supports and expresses its utmost appreciation to the U.S. Department of Health for expanding maternal health initiatives, including requiring all States to provide continuous Medicaid coverage for twelve (12) months postparturn, eliminating gaps in health insurance at a critical time because maternal mental health conditions are the most common complications of pregnancy and childbirth. THIS ORDINANCE ADOPTED BY pUNCIL >h.txX v< Acting I .a J y ity Clerk / / .- /, .' Datg/ ,. ' APPROVED //J /,- Dept. By o OCLa:l APRI 9 2023 LOCAL LAW no."ip 2023 3 A LOCAL LAW AMENDING SECTIONS 246 (l) AND (2)(a) OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MOUNT VERNON ENTITLED EXEMPTIONS FOR PERSONS SIXTY-FIVE (65) YEARS OR OVER WHEREAS, by letter dated April 3, 2023, the Commissioner of Assessment has requested a new local law to amend Section 246 of Local Law 3 of 1999; NYS Senior Citizen Tax exemption as it applies to the City portion of the Real Property Taxes in accordance with Section 467 of New York State law; and WHEREAS, Governor Hochul, amended Section 467 of New York Real Property Tax Law by increasing its income requirement so that a greater number of quali:[ying senior citizens may benefit from tax exemptions cunently provided for them; and WHEREAS, the adoption of this legislation will be in concert with the State's decision to increase tax exemptions for senior citizens due to inflation and increased medical costs. The legislation seeks to ensure that senior citizens receive the maximum exemption benefits which will assist them to remain independent in their homes; NOW, THEREFORE, The City of Mount Vernon, in City Council convened, does hereby ordain and enact: Section 1. Section 246 of the Code of the City of Mount Vernon, entitled "Exemptions for persons 65 years of age or over" is hereby amended as follows: § 246. Pursuant to the provisions of § 467 of the Real Property Tax Law, as amended, and as therein provided, real property owned by one or more persons, each of whom is 65 years of age or over, or real property owned by husband and wife, one of whom is 65 years of age or over, shall be exempt from taxation up to a maximum of 50% of the assessed valuation thereof, as hereinafter provided, pursuant to the following schedule: [Amended by L.L. No. 1-1996; L.L. No. 3-1999] Percentage of Value Annual Income Exempt from Taxation $18,500 or less 50% $18,501 to $19,500 45oA $19,501 to $20,500 40% $20,501 tO $21,500 35o/o $21,500 to - $22,400 30o/o $22,401 to $23,300 25% $23,301 to $24,200 20% $24,201 to $25,100 15% $25,101 to $26,000 10o/o ,ff $26,001 tO $26,900 )f';o S ";i;.: i'c7i[/ iPR1 9 2023 SPECJfA For the period commencing as of the taxable status date, May 1, 2023: 3 Percentage of Assessed Annual Income Valuation Exempt from Taxation $0 to $29,000.00 50% $29,001.00 to $30,000.00 45% $30,001.00 tO $31,000.00 40% $31,001.00 to $32,000.00 35% $32,001.00 to $32,900.00 30% $32,901.00 to $33,800.00 25% $33,801.00 to $34,700.00 20% $34,701.00 to $35,600.00 15% $35,601.00 to $36,500.00 10% $36,501.00 to $37,400.00 A ";7 No exemption shall be granted. (a) If the income of the owner or the combined income of the owners of the property for the income tax year irnrnediately preceding the date of making application for exemption exceeds the sum of [$26,900] $37 400.00. Income tax year shall mean the twelve-month period for which the owner or owners filed a federal personal income tax return, or if no such return is filed, the calendar year. Where title is vested in either the husband or the wife, their combined income may not exceed such sum. Such income shall include social security and retirement benefits, interest, dividends, net rental income, salary or earnings, and net income from self-employment, but shall not include gifts or inheritances, unreimbursed medical expenses, and prescription drug costs. [Arnended by L.L. No. 6-1977; L.L. No. 4-1979; L.L. No. 6-1981; L.L. No. 1-1991; L.L. No. 8-1994; L.L. No. 1-1996; L.L. No. 3-1999] Section 2. This local law shall take effect pursuant to Section 24 of the Municipal Home Rule Law and shall be applicable starting with the assessment roll governed by the next taxable status date following the effective date of this local law. New Matter Underlined Deleted Matter in Brackets [ ] founcilperson THIS ORDINANCE APPROVED AS TO FORM ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL G ,'//: 0 L/ " dsistant C6FporThon CTunselC / ,!! b'2n OCL