21st Century Legislative Goals That Could Help Municipalities: Bronxville Mayor

Written by Mayor Mary Marvin:

In last week’s column, I spoke of immediate term priorities for communities throughout the state as elected officials prepare for the upcoming 2017 legislative session.

The following are some look ahead legislative goals as municipalities react to an ever changing world especially in the area of technology.

As examples:

Allow Publication of Official Notices Online

New York State law is replete with provisions requiring local governments to publish official notices in local print newspapers at a cost of tens of millions of dollars yearly.

With the decline in newspaper circulation and the decrease in the frequency of local publishing, municipalities should be allowed to communicate to their citizenry via online news outlets and their own municipal websites. A larger number of interested parties would be reached in a timely, efficient and cost effective manner. The irony is that as politicians are excoriated in the print media for imprudent spending and poor stewardship, the lobbyists are working aggressively to retain this outmoded expense to the taxpayer they are championing.

Regulate Drone Activity

Advancements in technology and the FAA’s recent adoption of regulations for commercial use are accelerating drone use throughout the country.

With the increase in drone use comes legitimate concerns about privacy and nuisance. While federal law and regulations substantially pre-empt local regulations, there are areas of law including property rights and the issue of trespass and nuisance activities that are in the purview of states. However, current New York State laws are vague, ambiguous and apparently unenforceable with respect to flying over ones property without owner permission.

The whole issue of illegal surveillance as well as the pre-emption of State and local laws to the FAA authority is currently a source of debate and uncertainty.

Expansion of Uber, Lyft and other Ride Hailing Technologies

Uber and Lyft are clearly surpassing traditional taxi and for-hire vehicles business models and technologies in substantial areas of the country with a concentration in urban centers. Riders surveyed use them for the ease of payment, ease of arranging a ride, reliability, cost and short wait times.

Clearly, this is the wave of the future and the demand for expansion is significant. In New York, Uber and Lyft are used widely in New York City but are non-existent in the rest of the State. Two major impediments in New York include insurance carrier issues and the myriad of regulatory jurisdictions that for hire vehicles must be registered with and licensed by.

Legislation has been proposed to centralize regulatory authority at the State or County levels.

The immediate benefit is the enhanced local economic development that this service has already demonstrated it delivers. The downside being local government will not have access to driving records, possible criminal records, DWI conviction, etc., that they do when licensing local taxi services and their drivers.

Strengthening of Electronic Waste Laws

In 2010, New York State enacted the Electronic Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act to assist local governments with the expensive and fast growing electronic waste system stream by requiring electronics manufacturers to fund a recycling infrastructure and relieve local governments of mounting fees for safe disposal. Manufacturer funding has been inadequate and inconsistent and small communities cannot sustain the cost of the proper stewardship of electronic recycling.

Funding for Water Contamination Testing

The mounting evidence of water contamination in recent years nationwide has called into question the belief of most New York residents that access to safe clean drinking water is a foregone conclusion. Just this past year, the Village of Hoosick Falls discovered perfluoroctane acid, the chemical found in non-stick pan coating (Teflon), had poisoned its well and caused vastly increased incidences of cancer in the community. Currently state law does not cover the entire cost of local testing and remediation in the schools per a State Education Department mandate so the costs fall on every community large and small.

Promote the Accessibility of Farmers Markets and Community Gardens

Eating locally grown and produced food is not only more nutritious for consumers but economically beneficial for local farmers. Bills are in the legislature to offer benefits to our farmers who share their produce locally. Thanks to the effort of the Chamber of Commerce, the Village Trustees, who I am proud to say saw the benefit of the farm-to-table concept early on, and the tireless efforts of former Chamber of Commerce Director Mary Liz Mulligan, Bronxville has had a thriving Farmers Market for over 15 years.

Community Gardens offer another means of ensuring the availability of local produce to residents, and are associated with increased psychological well-being and social relations among community members.

Again, I am proud to say thanks to the vision of the Bronxville Green Committee and its irrepressible chairperson, Mary Liz Mulligan, in collaboration with the Village Trustees and the generous support of our local Rotary Club and the expertise of Broadway musician cum master gardener, Village resident Dave Phillips, our garden located near the paddle tennis courts is a reality — built, irrigated and set for planting in early spring.

Everything grown, hopefully through the efforts of a cadre of interested Villagers, will be donated to our neighbors in programs in Mount Vernon, Tuckahoe and the Westchester Food Bank.

Photo credit: Google Maps.