(WHITE PLAINS, NY)  Earlier today, US Senator Chuck Schumer held a press conference in Yonkers to announce legislation that would directly address the persistent lead problem in Westchester County and elsewhere in the Hudson Valley.  The proposal is to provide federal tax credit to remove lead from private properties and increase HUD funding for healthy homes and lead hazard control programs.

Several Westchester County Legislators used the opportunity to applaud Schumer’s initiative and call on the County Executive to set aside past confrontations with HUD in order to tackle this problem.

Legislator MaryJane Shimsky (D-Hastings-on-Hudson) serves as the Board of Legislators’ Infrastructure Committee Chair.  She said, “Westchester has some of the oldest infrastructure in the nation, much of which was constructed with materials that contain lead.  I applaud Senator Schumer for identifying this issue as a major health and safety concern and hope to see his funding efforts come to fruition.”

“The opening of this and potential additional funds resulting from Senator Schumer’s efforts are proof that the County Executive needs to settle his differences with HUD in the interest of the health and safety of many people,” said Legislator Ken Jenkins (D-Yonkers), who also is the Chair of the Board of Legislators’ Task Force on Federal and State Affairs. “These funds are exactly the kind of opportunities that Westchester has missed out on for years while the County Executive has grandstanded for political promotion.  It’s no secret that our taxpayers could use the relief these grants would provide and we should do everything we can to go get them.”

Under Schumer’s proposal, households and landlords with incomes up to $110,000 would be eligible. The tax credits would be up to $3,000 for removing lead paint and pipes and $1,000 for specialized cleaning and monitoring.