NYC-WTC_000195490

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Reimbursementfor Fresh Kills Landfill Closure Costs

When New York State enacted the 1996 Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act, $75 million was authorized to New York City for the closure of the Fresh Kills landfill. State law mandated the landfill to close by December 31, 2001. To date, $45 million has been appropriated by the State, but no funds have been committed. This year’s Executive Budget, as well as the Senate and Assembly budget resolutions, appropriate the remaining $30 million. The City has spent hundred^ of millions of dollars on Fresh Kills closure and the landfill was closed in March 2001. The City requests that the State fulfill its commitment and reimburse the City $75 million for Fresh Kills closure.

Bond Act Funds for Municipal Recycling

Ti Within the Solid Waste title of the 1996 Clean Water/Clean Air (CWCA) Bond Act, there was $50 million authorized for municipal recycling statewide. The State specifically promised New York City at least $25 million of this authorization. The Executive’s 30-day amendments to the SFY 2001-02 budget proposal authorize the payment of this $25 million for municipal recycling to New York City. This proposal puts the State’s commitment into law so that New York City can receive its fair share. The City is reflecting this payment in 2002.

Funding for PINS Mandate

Parents, guardians and schools may petition the Family Court to determine if a teen is a Person in Need of Supervision (PINS) which is defined as “a person less than 18 years of age who is truant, incorrigible, ungovernable or habitually disobedient and beyond the lawful control of a parent.” During the course of a PINS case, youths may be placed in the 24-hour custody of a foster care agency. While PINS cases are open, the costs for foster care are not reimbursable by the Federal government. As a result, localities and the State pay the entire cost of foster care for youths during PINS cases. Because the Family and Children’s Services Block Grant caps State foster care funding, localities bear the burden of paying for any increase in the number of youths in PINS cases. '11! Although youths in,PINS cases are considered foster children, their cases are unique to the foster care system, hJ and as a result, PINS youths tend to require a more expensive, higher-lcvcl of care than the traditional foster boarding home. PINS youths are not placed in foster care due to abuse or neglect by a parent or guardian, but !I9 instead are displaying behavior problems that might include failure to attend school or the commission of low- j!i level criminal offenses.

Last year. State law was changed, raising the age for PINS cases from 16 to 18. The City estimates that 370 additional PINS youths will enter the City’s foster care in 2002 as a result of this law. Due to the high cost for their care and their uniqueness to the foster care system, PINS cases should be funded separately from the block grant and be open-ended. The State and localities should share the costs for this population in an equitable manner. Since the block grant may be superceded in the coming fiscal year, any changes (including a form of the block grant for foster care) must include at least a $10 million State reimbursement for PINS expenses, which would be $7 million in the first year. 11 Reduction in Personal Income Tax Administrative Costs i ' I ' ■ :

•iiil Over the past four years, the State has raised the City’s charge for administration of its personal income tax (PIT) by over $20 million. Since SPY 1997-98, the total budget for the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance p1 1 has increased by 15.7 percent. In contrast, during this same time period, the State’s charge to the City for PIT administration has increased by 65 percent. In SFY 2000-01 the City paid over $30 million in PIT administrative charges. Given the repeal of the commuter tax, the PIT administrative charges should be reduced. New York l City non-residents formerly made up 21 percent of City filers, therefore the administrative charges should be ■I I decreased by 21 percent, or $7 million annually. In addition, the State should reduce its charges by an additional I $ 13 million, which would reflect a reasonable cost for these services and save the City $20 million annually. The City should not pay an increase in administrative costs when in fact the volume of filers has decreased.

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