RESOLUTION
BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT COLLINS-BELLAMY, MAJORITY LEADER RUBBO, MAJORITY WHIP NORMAN, MINORITY LEADER BREEN, COUNCILMEMBERS PINEDA-ISAAC, DIAZ, AND HODGES:
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A RESOLUTION REQUESTING NEW YORK STATE PASS LEGISLATION TO PROVIDE RECURRING AID TO MUNICIPALITIES TO OFFSET COSTS OF THE NEW YORK STATE HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM (NYSHIP)
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WHEREAS, the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) provides health insurance coverage to municipal employees and retirees across New York State; and
WHEREAS, healthcare costs under NYSHIP are increasing at a rate significantly exceeding inflation, while municipalities have no authority to control, plan, or design, premium setting, or cost-containment measures; and
WHEREAS, the 2026 NYSHIP family plan premium increased by 8.79 percent to approximately $44,000 annually, and if such growth trends continue, the cost of a family plan is projected to exceed $100,000 by 2036; and
WHEREAS, efforts to mitigate these costs through increased employee or union contributions cannot fully offset the magnitude of projected increases; and
WHEREAS, the City of Yonkers currently faces gross annual NYSHIP premiums totaling approximately $240 million, which are projected to exceed $550 million within ten (10) years - an average annual increase of $31.8 million; and
WHEREAS, the City’s current property tax levy totals approximately $452 million, and under the New York State property tax cap, annual levy increases are limited to approximately two percent (2%), generating only $9.9 million in additional revenue per year which results in a projected annual shortfall of approximately $21.9 million solely attributable to health insurance cost growth, even before accounting for other mandatory spending increases including pensions, contractual salary obligations, and other non-discretionary expenses; and
WHEREAS, even freezing all other municipal spending would not be sufficient to close the projected gap created by escalating ...
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