In a bipartisan show of support, several Brooklyn elected officials today hailed Mayor Bill de Blasio proposed $183 summer credit on the water and sewer bills of over 664,000 homeowners including 204,765 in Brooklyn.
The $183 credit, which must be approved by the Water Board, is on top of other proposed changes, including a $250 credit per unit for multi-family residential properties that meet affordability guidelines. The $250 credit will cover 40,000 apartments or homes.
As described in the lease between the City and the Board, the City may request an annual rental payment not to exceed 15 percent of the amount of principal and interest outstanding on the bonds of the Municipal Water Finance Authority. Every mayor since 1985, when the lease took effect, has exercised this discretion and requested the rental payment.
“When the Mayor is right, I say so,” said Republican Congressman Dan Donovan (Southern Brooklyn/Staten Island). “This credit will keep hard-earned money for more than 120,000 residents in my district where it belongs: in their own wallets. That’s the right move.”
Republican State Senator Marty Golden (Bay Ridge) said de Blasio deserves credit for eliminating the rental payment on water bills in his Executive Budget. “This will help to alleviate some of the financial burdens facing hard working residents. I look forward to continue working with the administration and finding additional ways to reduce utility costs and put money back into the pockets of all New Yorkers,” he said.
Republican Assembly Member Nicole Malliotakis (Bay Ridge/Staten Island) noted with the costs of living constantly increasing, any hard earned money government can put back in the pockets of taxpayers is more than welcome.
“Water is a basic necessity, not a luxury that someone can simply do without. I’m thankful that the City will be providing this credit to homeowners, and I will continue working with the administration to look for more ways to ease the burden of rising water costs,” said Malliotakis.
Meanwhile, Brooklyn’s Democrats also lauded the measure including Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and Bay Ridge City Councilman Vincent Gentile.
“Every dollar counts for families when they open their checkbooks to pay their bills, and government has a responsibility to find every possible efficiency and savings opportunity that leaves those dollars in the hands of hard-working taxpayers,” said Adams.
Gentile pointed out with the water rate having its lowest increase in 16 years, the Mayor is making good on his promise for water rate reforms. “My district, including here in Bay Ridge, largely consists of homeowners and small business owners. Removing the annual rental payment from the water rate equation will have a profound economic impact on our working families,” said Gentile.
In addition, as part of the proposed water and sewer rates for FY17, DEP has advanced a number of progressive changes to help ensure affordability for its most vulnerable customers:
- Expansion of low-income assistance program. The Home Water Assistance Program currently provides an annual credit to 51,700 low-income, senior and disabled homeowners who qualify for the federal Home Energy Assistance Program or the NYC Department of Finance’s (DOF) Senior Citizen Homeowners’ Exemption or Disabled Homeowners’ Exemption. In FY17, the program will be extended to as many as 68,000 additional senior homeowners who make less than $50,000 per year based on income eligibility.
- Multi-family Water Assistance Program. Multi-family residential properties will be eligible for a $250 credit per residential unit if they meet affordability criteria and execute an affordability agreement containing a minimum of at least 15 remaining years with the Department of Housing Preservation and Development or the Housing Development Corporation.
- Freezing the minimum charge. Customers who use less than approximately 95 gallons per day are billed at the minimum water charge of $1.27 per day, including wastewater charges. DEP proposes to freeze the minimum charge for the third consecutive year at the FY14 rate, benefitting 150,000 homeowners – many of whom are seniors – who, combined, will see savings of $1.4 million.
The New York City Water Board has scheduled five public hearings for the FY17 water rate proposal. Information on the hearings can be found by visiting nyc.gov/waterboard. Following the five public hearings, the Water Board will consider and vote on the FY17 rates and bill credits on May 20, 2016, and the new rates will become effective on July 1, 2016.
