STATED MEETING of Wednesday, April 5, 2017, 2:20 P.M
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THE COUNCIL Minutes of the Proceedings for the STATED MEETING of Wednesday, April 5, 2017, 2:20 p.m. The Public Advocate (Ms. James) Acting President Pro Tempore and Presiding Officer Council Members Melissa Mark-Viverito, Speaker Inez D. Barron David G. Greenfield Bill Perkins Joseph C. Borelli Barry S. Grodenchik Antonio Reynoso Fernando Cabrera Corey D. Johnson Donovan J. Richards Margaret S. Chin Ben Kallos Ydanis A. Rodriguez Andrew Cohen Andy L. King Deborah L. Rose Costa G. Constantinides Peter A. Koo Helen K. Rosenthal Robert E. Cornegy, Jr Karen Koslowitz Rafael Salamanca, Jr Elizabeth S. Crowley Rory I. Lancman Ritchie J. Torres Laurie A. Cumbo Bradford S. Lander Mark Treyger Chaim M. Deutsch Stephen T. Levin Eric A. Ulrich Daniel Dromm Mark Levine James Vacca Rafael L. Espinal, Jr Alan N. Maisel Paul A. Vallone Mathieu Eugene Steven Matteo James G. Van Bramer Julissa Ferreras-Copeland Darlene Mealy Jumaane D. Williams Daniel R. Garodnick Carlos Menchaca Ruben Wills Vincent J. Gentile Rosie Mendez Vanessa L. Gibson I. Daneek Miller Absent: Council Member Palma. The Public Advocate (Ms. James) assumed the chair as the Acting President Pro Tempore and Presiding Officer for these proceedings. 846 April 5, 2017 After consulting with the City Clerk and Clerk of the Council (Mr. McSweeney), the presence of a quorum was announced by the Public Advocate (Ms. James). There were 50 Council Members marked present at this Stated Meeting held in the Council Chambers of City Hall, New York, N.Y. INVOCATION The Invocation was delivered by Rabbi Eli Cohen, Executive Director, The Crown Heights Jewish Community Council (CHJCC), 387 Kingston Ave. Brooklyn, N.Y. 11225. Madam Speaker, our former Council Member Public Advocate and all the Council Members. Before I begin, I wasn't sure about the protocol. Since we are having the Seder this week if we could maybe bring the four cups of wine into the Chamber here today and especially given the special occasion of the Speaker's birthday maybe it would have been a good idea but to continue with my remarks. On Monday evening, tens of thousands of children in New York City will be asking their parents, “Why is this night different from all other nights of the year?”, and their parents will be responding by telling the story of the Jewish people beginning with we were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt and the Lord took us out. We tell of the Exodus, the arrival in the Promised Land, the dispersal of the Jews throughout the world later in history, the persecution generation after generation but always in the end the Holy One saved us from the hand of the oppressors. So above all on this night, we cherish freedom, freedom of worship and freedom to be who we are for every resident of this great city. We are told that there are four children at the Seder, as the Passover dinner is called: the wise, the wicked, the simple and the one who does not know how to ask. The rebellious child is included at the table but we speak directly and harshly to him. An important lesson: protect every citizen, preserve the dignity of those who have strayed, keep them at the table but all the while we must be sure to keep the streets safe for those who live and work in the city and for those who patrol the streets to keep us safe. This time is also special in that tomorrow night and Friday 847 April 5, 2017 we will celebrate 115 years since the birth of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Rabbi Schneerson. The Rebbe's leadership continues to resonate from the World Headquarters at 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Thousands of communities around the world forever once asked at a gathering such as this we should fulfil an act of charity by placing a coin in the charity box. This august body needs no reminder of the importance of charity. The Council has been very supportive of our Crown Heights Jewish Community Council’s work in caring for the elderly and for families for many years. More recently, through the Elie Wiesel Holocaust Initiative, we are giving special care to those who survive the unthinkable Holocaust of two generations ago. Through the Council's Domestic Violence Initiative, we work to educate our community to prevent abuse and suffering in families. The Rebbe teaches us to believe and to have optimism, to believe in redemption. The world will soon come to a place, a time of peace, a time without wars, a time where we all pursue knowledge in the pursuit of happiness. Now we pray: that mindful of the lessons of Passover freedom and of hope, this Council be guided by wisdom in its deliberations, that its members be blessed with health and good fortune for themselves, their families and their constituents; and that all of New York City receive all of God's special blessing of harmony, safety, good fortune and a bright future. Happy holiday to everyone. Council Member Cumbo moved to spread the Invocation in full upon the record. During the Communication from Speaker segment of this Meeting, the Speaker (Council Member Mark- Viverito) asked for a Moment of Silence in memory of the following individuals: FDNY Emergency Medical Technician Yadira Arroyo, 44, was tragically killed in the line of duty in the Bronx on March 16, 2017. She was a fourteen year EMT veteran and leaves behind five children. The Speaker (Council Member Mark-Viverito) thanked her and her family for the service that she provided as one of our city’s first responders. Gilbert Baker, creator of the rainbow flag, an internationally known symbol of LGBT rights, passed away on March 31, 2017 at the age of 65. Jimmy Breslin, well-known journalist and writer of many quintessentially New York columns, died on March 31, 2017 at the age of 88. He was the husband of former Council Member Ronnie Eldridge. 848 April 5, 2017 Timothy Caughman, a 66-year old Manhattan Chelsea resident, was the fatal victim of a shocking hate crime that took place on March 21, 2017. She noted that the NYPD acted quickly in the apprehension of the attacker. David Rockefeller, philanthropist and banker who contributed much to the city, passed away on March 20, 2017 at the age of 101. The Speaker (Council Member Mark-Viverito) also offered support to those who lost their lives in the March 22, 2017 Westminster attack in London as well as those killed by a suicide bomber in St. Petersburg, Russia on April 3, 2017. ADOPTION OF MINUTES Council Member Crowley moved that the Minutes of the Stated Meetings of February 15, 2017 and March 1, 2017 be adopted as printed. LAND USE CALL-UPS M-492 By Council Member Kallos: Pursuant to Rule 11.20(b) of the Council and §20-226 or §20-225 of the New York City Administrative Code, the Council resolves that the action of the Department of Consumer Affairs approving an unenclosed sidewalk café located at 1640 Second Avenue, Borough of Manhattan, Community Board 8, Application No. 20175241 TCM shall be subject to review by the Council. Coupled on Call-up vote. The Public Advocate (Ms. James) put the question whether the Council would agree with and adopt such motion which was decided in the affirmative by the following vote: Affirmative – Barron, Borelli, Cabrera, Chin, Cohen, Constantinides, Cornegy, Crowley, Cumbo, Deutsch, Dromm, Espinal, Eugene, Ferreras-Copeland, Garodnick, Gentile, Gibson, Greenfield, Grodenchik, Johnson, Kallos, King, Koo, Koslowitz, Lancman, Lander, Levin, Levine, Maisel, Mealy, Menchaca, Mendez, Miller, Perkins, Reynoso, Richards, Rodriguez, Rose, Rosenthal, Salamanca, Torres, Treyger, Ulrich, Vacca, Vallone, Williams, Wills, Matteo, Van Bramer, and the Speaker (Council Member Mark-Viverito) – 50. At this point, the Public Advocate (Ms. James) declared the aforementioned item adopted and referred this item to the Committee on Land Use and to the appropriate Land Use subcommittee. 849 April 5, 2017 REPORTS OF THE STANDING COMMITTEES Report of the Committee on Civil Rights Report for Int. No. 1253-A Report of the Committee on Civil Rights in favor of approving and adopting, as amended, a Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to prohibiting employers from inquiring about or relying on a prospective employee’s salary history. The Committee on Civil Rights, to which the annexed proposed amended local law was referred on August 16, 2016 (Minutes, page 2773), respectfully REPORTS: I. INTRODUCTION On April 4, 2017, The Committee on Civil Rights (“the Committee”), chaired by Council Member Darlene Mealy, held a hearing to vote on Proposed Introductory Bill Number 1253-A (“Int. No. 1253-A”), in relation to prohibiting employers from inquiring about a prospective employee’s salary history. The Committee previously held a hearing on Int. No. 1253 on December 13, 2016. At that hearing, the Committee received testimony from representatives of the City Commission on Human Rights (“CCHR”), civil and human rights organizations, and other interested members of the public. On April 4, 2017, the Committee passed Proposed Int. No. 1253-A by a vote of five in the affirmative, zero in the negative, with zero abstentions. II. BACKGROUND Despite efforts to narrow the gender pay gap since the 1960s, a woman working full-time in the United States still earns only 79% of what a typical man earns in a year.1 After generally narrowing between the 1970s and 1990s, the wage gap has largely remained fixed between 76 and 78 cents since 2001.2 Although the pay gap is narrower in New York State, at 87%, it results in a difference of $6,778 in median annual income between women and men working fulltime.