Res. No. 748
Resolution calling upon the Mayor of the City of New York to forgive the debt accrued by City employees under the military leave Extended Benefits Package and adopt the military leave policy established by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
By Council Members Brewer, Fidler, Gentile, Gonzalez, Nelson, Sanders Jr., Liu, Gerson, Mendez, Weprin, Avella, Vacca, Gennaro, Arroyo, Recchia Jr., Sears, Katz, Ignizio and Oddo
Whereas, The United States military is currently engaged in large-scale operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and is deployed in other areas throughout the globe; and
Whereas, According to the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), since September 11, 2001, 1,624 City employees have been called for military duty; and
Whereas, The New York City Extended Benefits Package permits a City employee called up for military duty to continue to earn his or her full City salary on condition that the employee agrees to remit to the City, after his or her return from military duty, the lesser of his or her military pay or City salary; and
Whereas, The City failed to properly administer the repayment system of the Extended Benefits Package; and
Whereas, Many City employees have been issued enormous bills from the City for salary repayment, and are now faced with serious taxation problems as a result of the way the City’s Extended Benefits Package was administered; and
Whereas, Under the military leave policy established by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), MTA employees continue to receive their MTA salary, minus the amount of their military pay; and
Whereas, MTA employees are not faced with a salary collection bill, nor complex tax issues upon returning from military duty; and
Whereas, The City currently has a $4 billion budget surplus, and could easily forgive the debt accumulated by returning soldiers under the Extended Benefits Package, and ease their burdens; now; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the Mayor of the City of New York to forgive the debt accrued by City employees under the military leave Extended Benefits Package and adopt the military leave policy established by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
LS#2588
HG
3-7-07