Mayor of the City of New York v. Council of New York

6 Misc. 3d 533
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 30, 2004
StatusPublished

This text of 6 Misc. 3d 533 (Mayor of the City of New York v. Council of New York) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mayor of the City of New York v. Council of New York, 6 Misc. 3d 533 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2004).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Michael D. Stallman, J.

Plaintiff Mayor moves for summary judgment declaring invalid Local Law No. 20 of 2001 of the City of New York (adding Administrative Code of City of NY § 6-124) and permanently enjoining its implementation. Defendant City Council cross-moves for summary judgment dismissing the Mayor’s complaint.

Background

Local Law 20 seeks to prevent the City from purchasing uniforms manufactured in sweatshops, either in New York, or in other states or countries. To that end, Local Law 20 bars the City’s contracting agencies from purchasing apparel or textiles from any entity other than a “responsible manufacturer.”

Local Law 20, § 2, defines a “responsible manufacturer” as one which “shall pay a non-poverty wage . . . and shall not contract with any subcontractor operating in violation of any provision of this section.” It defines “non-poverty wage” as “the nationwide hourly wage and health benefit level sufficient to raise a family of three out of poverty” and, “in any event, no less than $8.75 an hour, of which $7.50 must be paid in hourly wages.” Employees of contractors or subcontractors outside the United States must be paid “a comparable nationwide wage and benefit level, adjusted to reflect that country’s level of economic development ... in order to raise a family of three out of poverty.” (Id.)

Local Law 20 vests in the Comptroller the obligation to “determine, and, if deemed necessary, annually adjust the precise level of the non-poverty wage,” and the authority to “promulgate such rules as deemed necessary for determining a non-poverty wage.” (Id.)

[535]*535Local Law 20 requires the Comptroller to collect and maintain data on contracts awarded for purchase of garments and textiles, and to submit yearly reports to the Mayor and the Council. Contractors must provide specified documentation for compliance monitoring. When presented with information indicating that a contractor or subcontractor is violating the law, the Comptroller must review such information, offer the contractor or subcontractor an opportunity to respond, and determine whether there was a violation. Upon finding a violation, the Comptroller must present evidence of the violation to the contracting agency, which then “shall [have] the duty ... to take such action as may be appropriate and provided for by law, rule or contract.” (Id. [emphasis added].)

The Council enacted Local Law 20 by voting to override a mayoral veto. The Council did not place it on the ballot for a referendum of the City’s voters.

The Mayor contends that Local Law 20 curtails the executive and discretionary powers of the Mayor’s office, while enlarging the powers of the Comptroller, thereby violating applicable referendum requirements of Municipal Home Rule Law § 23 (2) (f) and New York City Charter § 38. The Mayor asserts that Local Law 20 violates the competitive bidding requirements of General Municipal Law § 103, and conflicts with State Finance Law § 162. The Mayor alleges that numerous federal statutes, including the National Labor Relations Act, preempt Local Law 20. He also asserts that Local Law 20 impermissibly intrudes on the exclusive federal power to formulate foreign policy. Finally, the Mayor contends that certain requirements of Local Law 20 are unconstitutionally vague.

I

Using identical language, state law and the New York City Charter require a vote of the electorate to approve any alteration of the City Charter’s mandated separation of powers.

Municipal Home Rule Law § 23 (2) provides that:

“Except as otherwise provided by or under authority of a state statute, a local law shall be subject to mandatory referendum if it: . . .
“f. Abolishes, transfers or curtails any power of an elective officer.”
New York City Charter § 38 (5) requires that a local law be submitted for a referendum if it “[a]bolishes, transfers or curtails any power of an elective officer.”

[536]*536The Mayor is the City’s chief executive. The implementation of law, and the making of particular determinations necessary for its implementation, is an essential executive function.

Under the City Charter’s mandated separation of powers, the Mayor’s authority over the award of City contracts (see City Charter § 335) is “almost exclusive.” (Matter of Fields v Giuliani, 2001 NY Slip Op 40444[U], *12 [Sup Ct, NY County 2001, Figueroa, J.] [warning that, under petitioner’s construction of City Charter § 334 (6), “all city elected officials, including the fifty-one City Council members, five Borough Presidents, the Public Advocate and the Comptroller (would be able) to insert themselves into the bid solicitation process”]; see also Matter of Giuliani v Hevesi, 276 AD2d 398 [1st Dept 2000] [Comptroller may object to contract on ground of suspected corruption, but, pursuant to City Charter § 328 (c), Comptroller must register contract if Mayor disagrees with Comptroller’s objection].) City Charter § 335 inter alia vests in the Mayor the power to “evaluate the integrity, performance, and capability of entities that contract with the city[, and such] . . . evaluations . . . may include conclusions regarding whether the entity should be considered a responsible contractor.”

A grant of duties to one official need not curtail the powers of another. However, an elected official may not be required to share his or her statutory power with other officials. (See Mayor of City of N.Y. v Council of City ofN.Y., 235 AD2d 230 [1st Dept 1997].)

The Council argues that Local Law 20 does not increase the powers of the Comptroller at the expense of the Mayor, because the Comptroller already has the power to “audit and investigate all matters relating to or affecting the finances of the city, including without limitation the performance of contracts.” (City Charter § 93 [b].) However, nothing in the City Charter vests the Comptroller with the power to determine the terms and conditions for bids or the qualifications of bidders. Nothing in the City Charter permits the Comptroller to direct a contracting agency to take action as contemplated by Local Law 20. Inter alia, by granting the Comptroller the power to determine what constitutes the “non-poverty wage,” both in the United States and in any other country in which apparel and textiles are manufactured for sale to the City, Local Law 20 effectively [537]*537grants the Comptroller the power to set terms of city contracts, and to determine with whom the City may not contract.

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Bluebook (online)
6 Misc. 3d 533, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mayor-of-the-city-of-new-york-v-council-of-new-york-nysupct-2004.