This Charter shall provide for, and constitute the form of, the government of the City of Troy, New York, and shall be known as the Troy City Charter. It is intended to implement the City's full home rule authority under New York State law.
All that part of the County of Rensselaer, New York, contained within the boundaries set forth in paragraph 3 hereof shall continue to be a municipal corporation by the name of the City of Troy.
The boundaries of the City of Troy as heretofore established shall remain intact and shall continue to constitute said boundaries.
The City shall possess and exercise all of the rights, privileges, powers and functions conferred upon it by the laws of New York State and this Charter. It shall be vested with all powers, franchises and rights belonging to a municipal corporation of its kind and class and shall be subject to all restrictions and provisions imposed by the laws of New York State and this Charter. The City shall possess and exercise all incidental powers necessary to exercise the powers granted to it by the laws of New York State and this Charter and to perform the duties legally imposed upon the City. The enumeration of any specific powers within this Charter shall not operate as a limitation on the general grant of powers by the laws of the State and this Charter and shall not exclude other powers comprehended within that general grant.
The City shall continue to have a strong Mayor-City Council form of government consisting of an Executive Branch, a Legislative Branch and a Judicial Branch.
The following terms used in the Charter shall be defined as follows:
(a) 
The term "Charter" shall mean the City of Troy Charter and amendments, if any.
(b) 
The term "City" shall mean the City of Troy, New York.
(c) 
The term "County" shall mean the County of Rensselaer, New York.
(d) 
The term "State" shall mean the State of New York.
(e) 
The term "Civil Service Law" shall mean the Civil Service Law of the State of New York.
(f) 
The term "Administrative Code" shall mean the Administrative Code of the City of Troy as adopted by the City Council and as amended.
(g) 
The term "introduce legislation" shall mean the date on which proposed legislation is placed on the agenda of the City Council Finance Committee, which is a committee of the whole.
(h) 
Definitions of local laws, ordinances and resolutions. A local law has the same effect as an act of the State Legislature. No local law may be inconsistent with any provision of state law, except as otherwise provided in the Municipal Home Rule Law. The passage of an ordinance shall require the affirmative vote of at least a majority of all the members of the City Council. No ordinance shall be passed by the Council on the same day on which it is introduced, except by a 2/3 vote of all members of the Council. Pursuant to Second Class Cities Law, Section 35, on the passage of every ordinance, the yeas and nays of the members voting shall be entered in full upon the journal. Unless otherwise required by state law, resolutions may be adopted without a waiting period, without notifying the public and without holding a public hearing. Resolutions may be introduced and passed at the same meeting and, unless otherwise stated, take effect immediately.
[Amended 10-6-2016 by L.L. No. 4-2016]
(i) 
The term "officer" shall mean and include all individuals elected under this Charter and/or such other individuals who qualify as officers pursuant to the Public Officers Law of the State of New York.
(j) 
The term "qualified elector" or "elector" shall mean a person who is a registered voter in the City of Troy.
(k) 
The terms "notice" and "public notice" shall be meant to include posting of pertinent information in public areas within City Hall, on the City website and/or blogs, as well as written notice to local news media and, as required by this Charter, paid print advertising.