N.Y. Second Class Cities Law § 3: Corporate powers

§ 3. Corporate powers. The citizens of the state of New York, from

time to time inhabitants of the territory comprised within the

boundaries of the city, shall continue to be a municipal corporation in

perpetuity under its corporate name, and the same shall in that name be

a body politic and corporate in fact and in law, with power of perpetual

succession. The city shall have power:

1. To take, purchase, hold, lease, sell and convey such real and

personal property as the purposes of the corporation may require.

2. To take by gift, grant, bequest and devise and hold real and

personal estate absolutely or in trust for any public use including that

of education, art, ornament, health, charity or amusement, for parks or

gardens, or for the use or erection of statues, monuments, buildings or

structures, upon such terms or conditions as may be prescribed by the

grantor or donor and accepted by said corporation and to provide for the

proper administration of the same.

3. To make, have and use, and from time to time alter, a common seal.

4. To contract and be contracted with, to sue and be sued, to complain

and defend and to institute, prosecute, maintain and defend any action

or proceeding in any court.

5. To have and exercise all of the rights, privileges and jurisdiction

essential to a proper exercise of its corporate functions, including all

that may be necessarily incident to, or may be fairly implied from, the

powers specifically conferred upon such corporation.

6. To have and exercise all the rights, privileges, functions and

powers now prescribed and exercised by it under existing or subsequent

laws and not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter.