De Blasio, Schumer Meet Morning Commuters At Barclays Center
Mayor Bill de Blasio and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer along with local elected officials will meet morning commuters just outside the Atlantic Avenue – Barclay’s Center subway station this morning to pass out flyers on the City’s new commuter benefits law.
Under the measure, which went into effect Jan. 1, non-government employers with 20 or more full-time non-union employees working in New York City must offer their full-time employees the opportunity to use pre-tax income to pay for their transportation by public or privately owned mass transit or in a commuter highway vehicle.
The new benefit could save New Yorkers hundreds of dollars in transit costs every year.
The event is scheduled for 7:15 a.m., today in front of the Barclay’s Center Subway Station, 620 Atlantic Avenue.
Greenfield Reminds Non-profits Of Tax Exempt Status Deadline
Midwood/Boro Park City Councilman David G. Greenfield is reminding local non-profits to renew their tax exempt status with the NYC Department of Finance (DOF) to avoid being issued property tax bills in 2016.
The deadline for non-profits to file for exemption for the upcoming tax year is tomorrow, Tuesday, January 5.
Several years ago, the DOF changed its policy on the non-profit tax exemption and now all non-profits receiving a full or partial property tax exemption are required to fill out a renewal form each and every year to maintain exempt status. This change in policy has caused much confusion for local community institutions that previously enjoyed uninterrupted tax-exempt status for years after initially filing as a non-profit with the City of New York. Since this new policy was implemented, Greenfield’s office has been instrumental in helping countless non-profits navigate the renewal process.
“I am calling on every non-profit group in my district to file for tax-exempt status for the next fiscal year as soon as possible. There are nearly 200 groups in my district alone that have not filed yet with the deadline less than one week away. Timely renewal is essential to avoid unwanted tax bills and potential lien sales,” said Greenfield. “If an organization misses the deadline, it is a difficult and time consuming process to try and convince the city that the group is eligible. In some cases, non-profits can stand to lose tens of thousands of dollars. Please call my office at (718) 853 2704 if your organization has any questions about this process.”
Filing for renewed tax-exempt status is easy and applications may be submitted online. All non-profits should have received letters and emails from the DOF with details on how to renew. If any organization has not received such a letter, it is likely that the DOF does not have the organization’s correct contact information on file. Any group that has not received notice is encouraged to immediately contact the DOF by either calling 311 or emailing their non-profit unit atnotforprofit@finance.nyc.gov for assistance.
If a non-profit fails to renew its tax exempt status, it will be issued property tax bills starting in July 2016. If the non-profit fails to correctly challenge and respond to these bills the DOF may place a lien on the property for unpaid taxes. Removing a tax lien against a non-profit is nearly impossible so it is incredibly important that all non-profits carefully maintain their tax-exempt status each year and avoid what could potentially become an extremely costly problem.
The DOF details how non-profits can apply for tax-exempt status online. The website is: http://www1.nyc.gov/site/finance/benefits/benefits-not-for-profit-organizations.page. The DOF also sends notice through mail and email to all non-responsive organizations with more details prior to the deadline.
Any organization with questions about this process is urged to contact the Office of Councilman Greenfield immediately for details on how to renew their tax-exempt status. Greenfield’s staff is experienced in these issues and ready to help. Greenfield’s office can be reached at (718) 853 2704.
TJ Dems Saddle Up For Presidential Primary
Canarsie’s Thomas Jefferson Democratic Club and Kings County Democratic Party Boss Frank Seddio is calling all the local political captains in an effort to gear up for the upcoming Presidential Primary in April.
Political pundits expect Seddio and the County’s Democratic Party to endorse and work for Hillary Clinton. Recently the Working Families Party endorsed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
The next TJ Club meeting is slated for 8:30 p.m., this Thursday, Jan. 7 at 77 Conklin Avenue.
Hamilton Looks Back At 2015, Gears Up For 2016
Central Brooklyn State Sen. Jesse Hamilton issued a newsletter expressing his thanks to constituents and vowed to work as hard in 2016.
“This past year, with the help of neighbors, colleagues, and community groups, we accomplished a great deal. We renewed and strengthened the rent laws. We increased funding for schools. We helped make our streets safer for Brooklynites. We hosted numerous community events including community resource fairs, town halls, mobile offices, block parties, and community celebrations. These successes would not be possible without you.This first year, over a thousand community residents received assistance on issues ranging from garbage pickup and rent-freeze applications, to landlord harassment and safe working conditions. Constituent services remain my number one priority, and I will continue to champion important issues that face our community,” said Hamilton.
“I look forward to working together to continue to improve our shared community. The challenges we face are bigger than any one person, but if we all work together, we can make real progress.”
