File #: Res 0696-2007    Version: * Name: NYC to adopt local laws to amend the Unincorporated Business Tax, the General Corporation Tax, and the Banking Corporation Tax to give tax credits to employers that hire qualified formerly incarcerated persons.
Type: Resolution Status: Filed
Committee: Committee on Fire and Criminal Justice Services
On agenda: 2/1/2007
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: Resolution calling upon the State Legislature to introduce and adopt, and the Governor to sign, legislation that would authorize the City of New York to adopt local laws to amend the Unincorporated Business Tax, the General Corporation Tax, and the Banking Corporation Tax to give tax credits to employers that hire qualified formerly incarcerated persons.
Sponsors: Letitia James, Inez E. Dickens, Helen D. Foster, Melissa Mark-Viverito, Darlene Mealy, Rosie Mendez, Annabel Palma, James Sanders, Jr., Albert Vann
Council Member Sponsors: 9

Res. No. 696

 

Resolution calling upon the State Legislature to introduce and adopt, and the Governor to sign, legislation that would authorize the City of New York to adopt local laws to amend the Unincorporated Business Tax, the General Corporation Tax, and the Banking Corporation Tax to give tax credits to employers that hire qualified formerly incarcerated persons.

 

By Council Members James, Dickens, Foster, Mark-Viverito, Mealy, Mendez, Palma, Sanders Jr. and Vann

 

Whereas, Certain groups of individuals, including formerly incarcerated persons, face significant obstacles to finding gainful, full-time employment opportunities; and

Whereas, Laws such as the Rockefeller drug laws often result in harsh prison terms for non-violent offenses and disproportionately affect poor persons and persons of color; and

Whereas, There are currently almost 15,500 drug offenders in New York State prisons; and

Whereas, Most of these drug offenders are minor offenders with no history of violent behavior; and

Whereas, According to Drop the Rock over 92% of the people incarcerated in New York State prisons for drug offenses are African American or Latino; and

                     Whereas, Thousands of these formerly incarcerated persons are released into the New York City community everyday who risk being condemned to a lifetime of unemployment; and

                     Whereas, There is an undeniable cycle of prison, release, recidivism, crime, and violence among these formerly incarcerated persons; and

                     Whereas, This cycle of recidivism poses a huge cost to society in lives and in dollars; and

                     Whereas, Companies that hire formerly incarcerated persons perform a public service by creating new opportunities for individuals to become productive members of society; and

                     Whereas, The Federal Government provides a work opportunity tax credit to employers for wages paid to individuals who are part of certain targeted groups, including qualified ex-felons, in recognition of the service provided by these companies in helping individuals overcome the barriers such groups face in achieving employment; and

                     Whereas, The City of Philadelphia recently enacted an ordinance that will grant a $5000-per job credit against City business privilege taxes to companies that create new jobs for formerly incarcerated persons; this ordinance already has resulted in the commitment to create over 1600 new jobs; and

                     Whereas, Offering additional City tax credits to New York City businesses will incentivize City businesses to employ formerly incarcerated persons; and

                     Whereas, Tax credits can be given to City businesses by amending the City’s Unincorporated Business Tax, the General Corporation Tax, and the Banking Corporation Tax; now, therefore, be it

                     Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the State Legislature to introduce and adopt, and the Governor to sign, legislation that would authorize the City of New York to adopt local laws to amend the Unincorporated Business Tax, the General Corporation Tax, and the Banking Corporation Tax to give tax credits to employers that hire qualified formerly incarcerated persons.

LD 1-26-07

LS # 2143