Agencies Using Mail Svc. In N.J., P.A.
New York City taxpayers’ bills will no longer be mailed to addresses in other cities and states if a new bill introduced last Wednesday, Mar. 28 by City Council Member Daniel Halloran becomes law.
Intro No. 0818-2012 requires city agencies to maintain an alternate address within the five boroughs at which they can receive mailed checks.
Halloran introduced the bill after finding out that several city agencies require New Yorkers to send their bills to post office boxes outside the city. For example, property tax bills go to a post office box in Newark, and water bills to a box in Pittsburgh.
“We have a responsibility to keep jobs in our city,” said Halloran. “When mail gets sent to boxes outside New York, we take jobs away from New Yorkers. Money is sapped from our tax base and ends up in banks in Pittsburgh, Newark, and who knows where else. This bill will keep New York City P.O. boxes right here in New York City, where they belong.”
The boxes were “outsourced” at the whim of contractors who decided to move their mailing addresses, leaving the city without recourse. Contractors are still free to have outof city mailing addresses, but if the bill passes, the city will be required to keep the actual billing address in New York City.
The Council member pointed out that some seniors may be confused by out-of-state mailing addresses, or might worry the mailing is a scam.
“Out-of-state addresses are needlessly confusing,” Halloran said. “People shouldn’t worry that their city bills are letters from Nigerian princes.”
Halloran is also pushing for state legislation to accomplish the same goal statewide.
“I call on the state to pass a law requiring any state or municipal contractor receiving mail on behalf of the state or a municipality do so within New York State,” the Council member added. “This should be standard language in every contract. Aside from the obvious benefits, this will increase convenience and speed of processing, making our government leaner and saving the taxpayers’ money.”
The bill has been referred to the City Council’s Committee on Governmental Operations.
