News

Statement from City Council Finance Chairman Domenic M. Recchia, Jr.  to the Water Board on Proposed Rate Hike

For the past 18 years, homeowners have been subjected to increased water rates year after year. In fact, since 1995, water rates have been raised by an astronomical 235%.

As Chairman of the City Council’s Finance Committee, every day, I hear from people all over the City who are struggling to make it. Today marks six months since Superstorm Sandy, yet there are still New Yorkers who haven’t been able to return to their homes and still more who don’t know how they are going to afford the repairs. Even before the storm, many families in this City were facing economic hardship. Now, when times are even harder, this Board is considering yet another increase. It’s unacceptable.

The average single-family home pays $939 a year on average for water. Under the 5.6% hike proposed by the Department of Environmental Protection (“DEP”), homeowners would have to pay on average $991 dollars a year. Although I understand that this rate increase is lower than increases in previous years--just three years ago, the average was $723 a year, ten years ago, it was $500 a year. The constant increases continue to add up and it’s simply too much. Homeowners shouldn’t have to pay almost $1000 a year for water—it’s a necessity.

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Read Council Member Recchia's Comments on the City's CDBG Action Plan: 

Recchia Issues Statement on Effects of Federal Sequester on New York City Budget

“Today, as we begin our annual hearings on the Mayor’s Preliminary Budget for FY14, looming over our discussions is the inevitable impact that the federal sequester will have on our City. Although the effects will not be immediate, over the next few weeks and months, the shortage of hundreds of millions of federal dollars will be felt by our schools, our police and firefighters, our seniors, and our children living in poverty. In addition, the Sequester will cause federal aid for Superstorm Sandy for New York City to be reduced by as much as $500 million. This cut would potentially leave a hole in next year’s expense and capital budgets of $225 million and would reduce the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds by over 25%.  It will also imperil the ability of our communities to rebuild and make a full recovery.

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