Res. No. 998 Title Resolution calling upon the Congress of the United States of America to pass, and President Bush to sign, S. 1228, the Home Lead Safety Tax Credit Act of 2003. Body By Council Members Perkins, Baez, Barron, Brewer, Clarke, Comrie, DeBlasio, Foster, Gerson, Liu, Koppell, Jackson, Quinn, Reed, Serrano, Stewart, Yassky, Dilan, Lopez, McMahon, Monserrate, Seabrook and Reyna Whereas, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that in the United States approximately 434,000 children between age one and age five have blood lead levels greater than the CDC's recommended maximum blood level of 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood; and Whereas, According to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 3,985 children in New York City were newly identified in 2002 as having blood lead levels of 10 micrograms per deciliter or greater; and Whereas, Lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and even seizures, comas, and death; and Whereas, The CDC reports that approximately 24 million housing units in the United States have deteriorated lead-based paint and elevated levels of lead-contaminated dust, and more than four million of these dwellings house one or more young children; and Whereas, Young children can ingest lead dust and paint chips from peeling, chipping, or crumbling paint; and Whereas, Children living in poor areas with dilapidated housing are at higher risk of being lead poisoned because of the higher incidence of lead-based paint in old buildings; and Whereas, The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene acknowledges that pre-school children, African-American and Latino children, and children living in certain low-income neighborhoods, particularly in Brooklyn, are disproportionately affected; and Whereas, United States Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Mike DeWine of Ohio introduced S. 1228, known as the "Home Lead Safety Tax Credit Act of 2003", on June 10, 2003; and Whereas, The Home Lead Safety Tax Credit Act would provide a tax credit for owners of residential properties built before 1978 to help pay for abatement of lead-based paint hazards performed by a certified lead abatement contractor; and Whereas, The statement of findings and purpose in S. 1228 recites that 15 percent of affected children are lead-poisoned by projects performed by remodelers who fail to follow appropriate safeguards to control lead dust; and Whereas, The Home Lead Safety Tax Credit Act would therefore encourage homeowners to use certified abatement contractors for the abatement of lead-based paint hazards; and Whereas, Owners would receive a maximum tax credit of 50 percent of the cost of the abatement, not to exceed 1500 dollars per dwelling unit; and Whereas, The statement of findings and purpose in S. 1228 recites that current Federal lead abatement programs have resources sufficient to make only approximately 7,000 homes lead-safe each year; and Whereas, The Home Lead Safety Tax Credit Act would encourage homeowners to remove lead-based paint hazards and protect children's health and safety; now, therefore be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the Congress of the United States of America to pass, and President Bush to sign, S. 1228, the Home Lead Safety Tax Credit Act of 2003. LS #2727 SJM |1013|