Independence Party Candidates ‘Encouraged’ to Collect Signatures for Castro

We have heard a few complaints from Democratic candidates who also have the Independence Party line throughout Westchester, about the arm twisting they are receiving from County Independence Chair Dr. Giulio Cavallo, strongly encouraging them to collect signatures for Tony Castro, Democratic candidate for district attorney.

Castro has the Ind line, thanks to Cavallo and Sam Zherka, but he also wants to run in a Dem primary against Janet DiFiore and needs to collect a few thousand signatures in order to get on the ballot.

Dr. C has made it known that all Dem candidates with the Ind line need to help Castro get on the ballot. This puts these Dem candidates in a bad situation because the leadership of the party, and the rank and file, have nominated DiFiore.

Also what right does Cavallo have in telling the Dem Party how to conduct their primaries?

Another fact that points to serious involvement by Dr. C and Sam Z in the political elections this year in Westchester.

Dr. Giulio Cavallo

Council Overrides Amicone Budget, 5-2

The Yonkers City Council held a special meeting last Friday to override Mayor Phil Amicone’s veto of the budget passed by the council, who cut an additional $7 million to reduce the property tax increase to 5.75 percent and eliminate the income tax surcharge increase.

The mayor had vetoed based on the $2 million in cuts to police overtime. But the veto was a dangerous move because five members of the council had already approved the budget, and the same five voted to override.

So while this turned out to be a symbolic move for the mayor, it also allowed the council to override his veto and highlight the fact that they had passed a budget without the mayor’s support.

Here’s the council veto override release:

 

 

 

CITY COUNCIL VOTES TO OVERRIDE MAYOR’S BUDGET

 

 

 

Council’s Budget Lowers Taxes & Saves Jobs

 

 

 

Yonkers, New York: June 26, 2009 – The Yonkers City Council this morning voted 5-2 in favor to override the mayor’s veto of the budget that was passed by the council last Saturday and subsequently vetoed by Mayor Phil Amicone on Wednesday, June 24. Council members Gronowski and Majority Leader Sandy Annabi voted against the measure.

Today’s vote to override the mayor’s veto was the right thing to do in these hard economic times. When we requested this mayor to come to the table and make meaningful cuts to his own budget he refused to do so. Instead, he left the difficult work to the council to write a budget and manufactured a crisis.

This city council recognizes that many Yonkers’ families are struggling today more than folks have endured in several generations. Job losses, foreclosures and mounting bills are part of the new reality in Yonkers as they are across the country. In such times, it falls upon all elected officials to strike the necessary balance, between providing and properly funding necessary government services, while not adding further burdens upon the backs of our taxpayers. In such times, the ability to act and demonstrate true leadership is more than warranted – it is expected.

Sadly, this mayor made the unfortunate decision to blame the city council for its recent decision to pass what many consider a prudent budget that aims to lessen property tax increases and make the necessary minimum cuts. The council also stood firm against the mayor’s proposed 50% increase in the city portion of the state income tax surcharge which would have taken several hundred dollars out of the paycheck of just about every person who lives or works in Yonkers.

 

 

 

With the mayor’s veto, at his well staged press conference on Wednesday morning, he proved that he would rather continue to employ fear tactics that suggest that the council’s cuts will cause crime to rise with fewer patrol officers available to protect the city. Such allegations are not only unreasonable and worrisome — they are outrageous and irresponsible. Our citizens know that this city council has always recognized the need to staff our police and fire departments at more than just the acceptable levels. We have continued to approve police and fire academy classes to join our city’s ranks. And just as our public safety departments deserve to be properly staffed, we have taken our responsibilities to our communities equally serious and have worked together to expeditiously approve

grants and ordinances that have bettered our neighborhoods. Our resident’s safety has always been our top priority.

This year, our police commissioner recommended that the council pass $10.8 million in police overtime. This council passed a budget allocating $9.8 million in overtime – only one million less than what the commissioner requested. For the mayor to politicize this issue is both dangerous and reckless. In short, it is the mayor that failed to do what his office mandates — not the city council.

With the mayor’s veto of our city’s budget for 2010 this week, the mayor chose to play politics rather than make the tough decisions and played the politician’s blame game.

Rather than come to the table and negotiate, he chose to craft a public relations campaign meant to scare our citizens. Such behavior is shameful and unfortunate forour city, our residents and our workforce.

 

 

A Whole Lotto Love! Yonkers Woman Wins $41 Million Lotto

The luck of the Irish shined down on Niamh Finnan, a dental hygienist from Yonkers, who was given a $41 million winning lottery ticket from her husband, Donal, last month.

The couple recently returned to the location where Donal bought the winning ticket, Lotto Plus at 967 McLean Ave., and we joined by New York Lottery’s Yolanda Vega and Gretchen Dizer to celebrate.

The Finnan’s, both born in Ireland, have lived in Yonkers for 25 years.

Yonkers Comes Out to Support PAL at Luncheon at Empire City

Despite the difficult economic times, the Yonkers community came out to fill the ballroom at Empire City to support the Yonkers Police Athletic League (PAL) at their annual luncheon held last week. The Yonkers PAL has faced cuts to their budget over the past year, losing city funding for police officers to work at the PAL. Since that time the PAL, through Chairman Angelo Martinelli and a hard working board, has been working feverishly in an attempt to raise funds to keep PAL as an important safety net in Yonkers for young adults.

Martinelli, former Yonkers mayor, was at his best at the luncheon, urging the crowd to help the PAL. “We are here to help keep the PAL alive, and your attendance today shows how Yonkers cares,” said Martinelli, who remembered three PAL board members lost over the past year: Mike D’Ambrosio, Sidney Sloves and Iris Walshin.

“Iris did so much for the PAL that our recreation center is named in her honor. Sidney always said ‘yes’ when asked to help, and Mike dedicated his life to the PAL. They will be missed.”

The winners of the PAL poster contest — Reina Mendez and Edward Curry — were on hand to receive their PAL jackets. Three students from Sacred Heart HS in Yonkers, Megan Matill, Daniel Salliente and Elizabeth Folinsky, accepted scholarships from the PAL for their outstanding student performance.

The two PAL honorees were Mayor Phil Amicone and Sal Corrente, boxing coach and PAL director. Martinelli called Amicone “the perfect mayor for the people of Yonkers during these difficult times.”
Amicone, the PAL’s man of the year, said, “Due to the unfortunate cuts that we had to make, so many people in Yonkers have stepped up to fill the void and help with programs, and be here today. I had no doubt that the PAL wouldn’t die because it’s so important to parents working late. The PAL is vital to the survival of our city and the people of Yonkers always step up to make a difference in children’s lives.”

In attendance were former N.Y. Giants, including George Martin, District Attorney Janet DiFiore, City Council President Chuck Lesnick, Police Commissioner Ed Hartnett, City Chief Judge Michael Martinelli, County Legislator Jose Alvarado, Councilwoman Sandy Annabi and hundreds of others.

The PAL also accepted checks from Assemblyman Mike Spano for $15,000 (with Mike’s father Len Spano delivering the check) and Hudson Valley Bank for $5,000, with James Landy, president of Hudson Valley Bank, at the luncheon.

With help, the PAL is continuing its programs for Yonkers kids. For more information about the PAL or ways to keep this crucial Yonkers program alive, call 914-377-7297.

McLaughlin and Barbato Remain Two Key Votes Needed to Pass SFC’s LDA

With the summer season upon us and a budget battle behind them, the City Council’s next big issue will be the Struever Fidelco Cappelli (SFC) $400 million development plan for downtown Yonkers. The council had been working for the past few weeks to amend and adopt a budget, and can now turn its full attention to SFC and the Land Disposition Agreement (LDA), which lays out the project’s terms, payments and benefits to both the city and the developers.

Currently, three members of the council — Council President Chuck Lesnick and council members Patricia McDow and John Murtagh —  appear to support the LDA, while councilwomen Sandy Annabi and Joan Gronowski are opposed. (McDow, however, has recently expressed concerns about the affordable housing component of the plan … more to follow.)

Republican council members Liam McLaughlin and Dee Barbato remain the swing votes, and the two votes needed to pass the LDA. Five council votes are needed because the LDA includes the sale of city property.

While negotiations continue between Mayor Phil Amicone, SFC and the City Council, both Barbato and McLaughlin remain on the fence with serious concerns.

“My concerns are all about the revenue streams in this project. This isn’t what we all signed on for, we thought this was going to bring in a definitive revenue stream,” said Barbato.

Both Barbato and McLaughlin’s concerns regard whether or not the LDA is a good deal for the people of Yonkers. Below are some of the pros and cons of the LDA, all of which are factors both Barbato and McLaughlin are considering.

Pro: The SFC project will create jobs, business activity and vitality to an economically depressed part of the city. The increased traffic could “lift the tide” of other businesses, creating more spending, and sales taxes, in Yonkers.

Con: The project is no longer a guaranteed $1.6 billion development plan. Due to economic conditions, a minimum development guarantee of $400 million is in the LDA.

Pro: The development of the SFC plan would give a boost to the downtown waterfront in Yonkers, the gem that remains underutilized. While there has been some development in the downtown/waterfront district there’s isn’t enough critical mass for a vibrant business and residential district. New office buildings on Main Street are up for sale, and other property owners are waiting and wondering what to do next. The SFC plan would give the boost to the downtown needed so that other projects can follow.

Con: SFC has to layout very little of their own money to move forward with the project under the LDA. Many of the upfront payments by SFC have been removed or modified in the LDA. 

Pro: The $400 million minimum development includes building River Park Center at Chicken Island, a new firehouse at the Cacace center across from City Hall and parking near and around City Hall and River Park Center. At least one residential tower will also be built, along with some form of Minor League Baseball stadium.

Con: One of the biggest pieces of city responsibility to the SFC plan is the $162 million in bonds the city will float to pay for the infrastructure improvements to the downtown. The total cost of the improvements is $212 million, with SFC using anticipated credits from the project to pay the $50 million.

Pro: The construction of residential housing, be it rentals at River Park Center, and/or condos on the riverfront, would bring in new residents, who live, shop and do business in downtown Yonkers. The residential component is currently lacking in the downtown, and a vibrant downtown has activity 24/7.

Con: According to the LDA, SFC has to attempt to secure financing for their project. If they cannot secure financing, they can sit on the two riverfront properties (H&I) that are considered the most valuable piece to the entire plan.

Concerns about how SFC intends to regulate the affordable housing portion of their residential plan have recently come to light. In the LDA, the affordable housing units would transfer to market rate housing after 15 years. McDow called the 15 years “absurd. Fifteen years is a blink of the eye, I was looking for 30 years, which is a good standard.”

“They [SFC] need to come back with something that’s workable for the city,” said McDow, whose vote for the LDA is crucial for passage.

Over the past few months of negotiations, SFC has remained silent, preferring to attempt to win over enough council votes behind closed doors. But the people of Yonkers are talking about SFC.

“I hear from a lot of people two recurring thoughts. One is that this a sweetheart deal for SFC. They are getting everything they want, but who is looking out for us?,” said an unnamed source in City Hall. “And two, how long will this go on for? When will the council vote on this, or when will SFC finally quit?”

Hampton Inn Opens First New Yonkers Hotel in 46 Years

As another sign that Yonkers remains a resilient center of business travel in southern Westchester and the surrounding area, Mayor Phil Amicone, chairman of the Yonkers Industrial Development Agency (IDA), led a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, June 17, at The Hampton Inn & Suites, the first new hotel to open in Yonkers in almost half a century.

The mayor, joined by Mark Stebbins and Susan Griffin, principals of the hotel ownership group, FSG Yonkers Hotel LLC; Ellen Lynch, president & CEO of the Yonkers IDA; and other local and state officials celebrated the opening of the four-story, 150-room hotel at 160 Corporate Boulevard in South Westchester Executive Park. The Hampton Inn & Suites includes nearly 40 suites and 110 deluxe rooms and offers guests a business center, meeting facilities, on-site parking, a fitness center, an indoor pool, a cocktail lounge and a large lobby where complimentary breakfast is served to hotel guests. Complementary shuttle service for guests to local businesses and transportation hubs is also available.

 The project was developed by FSG Yonkers Hotels LLC, a joint venture of RD Management LLC in New York City and S&S Hotels based in Manchester, N.H. The $23 million project was made possible through incentives granted by the Yonkers IDA, including a payment in lieu of real property taxes (PILOT) agreement, mortgage tax exemptions and sales and use tax exemptions for construction materials. In total, the project has created 40 permanent jobs, as well as 107 temporary construction jobs. Construction began in March 2008.

The hotel, located in Executive Park in northwest Yonkers, points to another thriving business community in the city, and serves two purposes. It gives members of the business community in Executive Park a nearby quality hotel to stay or have business functions, and it also provides travelers to Yonkers, or southern Westchester, their best option for a quality overnight stay.

Four Westchester Democrats Hold Key to Future of County Politics

We call it “Westchester Political Musical Chairs” when elected officials in our county ponder and consider their next move up the political ladder. Due to the overwhelming enrollment edge Democrats now have in the county (+100,000), all speculation about who will run for what this year and in the future, centers on Democrats, and Rising Media would like to highlight four Westchester Dems — Assemblyman Adam Bradley, County Board Chairman Bill Ryan, County Legislator and Yonkers Democratic Chairman Ken Jenkins and Assemblyman Mike Spano.

Bradley jumped headfirst into the race for White Plains mayor, and now is considered the heir apparent to replace longtime Republican White Plains Mayor Joe Delfino, who presided over the revitalization of the county’s capital city.

Bill Ryan was at the top of Westchester Democratic buzz to be the next county executive or White Plains mayor last year when he became chairman of the County Board. But since then, Andy Spano is running for re-election as county executive, stopping Ryan’s hopes, and Bradley stepped in front of Ryan to become the Democratic White Plains mayoral hopeful.

Ryan’s only hopes now rest on maintaining his County Board chairmanship before something else opens up. But Ryan’s future as board chairman could be tenuous if Jenkins decides he wants to be the next chairman.

Jenkins is one of the rising stars in the Democratic Party in Westchester. He would be a true consensus builder on the County Board for the Democratic super majority, and has proven himself as a wise political operative in turning around the Yonkers Democratic Party as chairman in recent years.
Jenkins is also seen as a possible future candidate for Congress or Mayor of Yonkers. With Republican Mayor Phil Amicone term limited in two years, Yonkers Democrats are looking to take over City Hall in 2011, with Jenkins, Assemblyman Mike Spano, and City Council President Chuck Lesnick the three big Democrats with the best chance to be the next Mayor of Yonkers.

The Spanos (Mike, Nick and Andy) are beginning to line up support for Mike Spano, who switched parties to a Democrat two years ago, to be the Democratic candidate for Yonkers’ mayor. The recent deal that gave Andy Spano the Conservative line for county executive points to this effort to clear the way for Mike as Yonkers’ mayor.

The Spanos are hoping that Jenkins, who can pretty much write his own ticket, sets his sights on the County Board chairmanship, and not Yonkers mayor. This bodes badly for Ryan, who has not distinguished himself as Democratic board chairman with the 13 Dems on the County Board.

In musical chairs, there’s always someone left without a chair — right now that someone is Ryan.

Council Cuts $12.5 Million in Capital Budget for Daylighting of Saw Mill River at Larkin Plaza

  A rendering of the proposed daylighting at Larkin Plaza

In addition to amending and reducing the mayor’s budget, the City Council also made massive reductions to the mayor’s captial budget. Over his six years in office, Amicone has been increasing his captial budgets, mostly to upgrade the city’s infrastructure, including for the Yonkers Public Schools, that have been neglected over time during crisis budget years.

The City Council, led by Budget Chair Liam McLaughlin, has been questioning the large captial budgets of over $100 million year after year, with concerns about the city’s debt load. As a result, the mayor’s captial budgets have been cut over the year’s, with this year as no exception.

Amicone’s 09-10 captial budget was cut from $124 million to $51.6 million, with $25 million for school construction left intact. Included in the capital cuts were $12.5 million for the daylighting of the Saw Mill River at Larkin Plaza. Supporters of the daylighting at Larkin are concerned that this decision by the council could kill the project.

The city, with the help of Groundwork Yonkers, has a pending grant application  before NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for a $20 million to daylight the river at Larkin.

A decision on the grant will be announced next Tuesday, with Yonkers hopeful of obtaining some funding. But part of the grant requires the city to pay for part of the daylighting — which is why the city put a $12.5 million captial item in the mayor’s captial budget for it – now removed by the City Council. 

 Jim Pinto, director of Downtown Waterfront Development for the city, expressed concern that even if the city was awarded the NOAA grant, they would not be able to use it without some amount of matching city funds.

We received mixed thoughts when we asked two councilmembers about the future of the daylighting at Larkin. Council President Chuck Lesncik explained that if the city were to get the NOAA grant, the council could pass another capital budget with the Larkin daylighting $12.5 million in it.

McLaughlin was noncommittal at best, and returned to his theme of Amicone running up a too high debt tab for the residents. “The mayor’s captial budget has skyrocketed over sixyears. We never had captial budgets over $100 million per year in previous administrations,” said McLaughlin, who said he wanted to wait for the NOAA grant and review the city’s daylighting contribution more before taking a stance.

The daylighting at Larkin Plaza is the one project that can most quickly help boost the downtown/waterfront. Unlike the daylighting proposed at Getty Sqaure/Chicken Island, the Larkin daylighting involves NO purchase of land, and no diversion of the river is required.

Larkin daylighting will be construction ready in September.

Yonkers Downtown Fireworks Cancelled Because of Petty BS Politics

Don’t Take The Fireworks Away!

All of us in Yonkers have been watching the political games that have heated up over the past two years between Mayor Phil Amicone and the City Council. Although we are disappointed in both sides for being unable to come together and work constructively for the people of Yonkers, to date the effects of this dysfunction have not yielded any problems.

But the recent cancellation of the city’s downtown fireworks on July 4th is the first example of the batttles between the second and fourth floors hurting Yonkers, and its future.

While the mayor states correctly that the council cut of $2 million in police overtime will result in no money to pay for police OT for the fireworks, if the two sides were “really talking,” can’t we expect that our elected officials can find a way to pay for the YPD OT for fireworks?

Can we find 100k in the budget? Can the council put 100k back into the YPD  OT budget so we can have the fireworks?

We all know that the economy continues to struggle. As with all neighborhoods, the economy has affected downtown Yonkers. The downtown/waterfront is at a crossroads and needs every bit of stimulus that the city can provide.

The fireworks will bring people to the downtown, which is what is desperately needed, and give the residents a recreational opportunity.

Please reconsider.

Mayor Amicone Vetoes Budget — Council Expected to Override

Mayor Amicone announcing veto of budget

 

 

Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone vetoed the budget returned by the City Council for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The mayor cited public safety concerns over the council’s cut of police overtime as the overriding reason for the veto. The mayor’s detailed response, with specifics, is printed below.

The mayor’s veto may not have had any teeth because there appears to be five council votes needed to override Amicone’s pen. The five would be the same five that voted for the budget — Council President Chuck Lesnick and councilmembers Liam McLaughlin, Dee Barbato, John Murtagh and Patricia McDow.

The mayor needs one of the five on the council who voted for the budget to flip and not vote for the override. This appears unlikely with only one council member questioning the police overtime cut.

An agreement between the two sides is still possible, but unlikely.

Look for the council to call a special meeting and override the mayor’s budget on Friday or Monday.

McLaughlin, the chairman of the council’s budget committee, called on the mayor to make cuts to his staff if he wants to save the police overtime. “There a lot of people in the mayor’s office making $100,00 per year, and I don’t know what they are all doing. If he [Amicone] wants to save the police overtime, then cut some of the patronage jobs on the second floor.”

Citing Public Safety, Mayor Vetoes 2010 Budget

Amicone says budget would decimate police services & harm quality of life

Mayor Phil Amicone announced today that he will veto the Fiscal Year 2010 Operating Budget that was sent to him by the City Council three weeks late, citing the severe impact the budget would have on public safety and quality of life throughout the city.“The City Council has made compromises in this budget with regard to the public’s safety and welfare that I find completely unacceptable. They have made service cuts that will undoubtedly impact quality of life all across our city for the worse. I cannot in good conscience sign this budget into law,” the mayor explained.

Municipal services most adversely affected by the City Council’s budget cuts fall within the police department, which had $2.2 million-or 18%- slashed from its overtime budget. The overtime cuts would impact nearly every aspect of police operations including foot posts, neighborhood patrols, traffic details, anti-crime units, anti-drug units, and security at special events. Details follow.

-Elimination of the precinct Anti-Crime Units – 2 sergeants and 4 police officers
-Elimination of the Domestic Violence Unit – 4 police officers
-Unable to provide additional police coverage at special events
-Transfer two detectives to Field Services
-Reduction of Housing Unit police officer minimums
-Transfer a police officer from the Criminal ID Unit to late tour patrol
-Transfer a police officer from the Criminal ID Unit to early tour patrol
-Transfer a police officer from the NYSPIN Unit to late tour patrol
-Transfer two police officers from the Traffic Unit to patrol
-Transfer a sergeant to late tour Communications Division
-Transfer a sergeant from the Traffic Unit to Patrol
-Transfer a sergeant from the Housing Unit to Patrol
-Reduce minimum manning level in Detective Division by one detective

TOTAL POLICE CUTS: $2,200,000

The police department wasn’t the only one cit hard by the City Council’s budget. A 2% across-the-board cut to most city departments will result in many other citywide service reductions, some of which are listed below.City Council Budget Cuts (non-public safety):

-Cut at least half of the community group funding through parks department
o Boy’s & Girls Clubs (12 in total)
o My Sister’s Place
o Yonkers Philharmonic
o African American Heritage Festival
o Youth Theater Interaction
o Puerto Rican / Hispanic Day Parade & Festival
o Untermeyer Performing Arts Council
o Cultural concerts (Italian, Irish, etc.)
o Youth programs (Global Basketball, Westchester Invaders, Runyon Heights, etc.)
o Recreational programs (Westside Tennis, Yonkers Kayak Club, etc.)
-$1.2 million cut to affordable housing projects
-Elimination of grant matches for senior citizen services
-Elimination of support services for internet-based city services
o Online cahier payments for city taxes, parking fines, violations, etc.
o Action Center / 311 Help Line
o GIS services (property / tax records)
-Delay in implementing court-ordered firefighter civil service examination
-Elimination of building department’s 24-hour Heat & Oil Program
-Code enforcement reductions (litter, noise violations, consumer protection, etc.)

Mayor Amicone continued to assail the City Council budget, “These cuts would affect everything from youth programs to maintenance of public facilities. They would profoundly impact quality of life in Yonkers by impeding our ability to enforce city code requirements, construct new affordable housing and continue key economic development initiatives. These cuts are extremely shortsighted and would cause more damage to the city over the long term than the minimal savings they would produce in the short term.”

The City Council failed to meet its City Charter mandated deadline to adopt a budget by June 1, finally passing a scaled back version of the budget three weeks late on June 20. The Council’s delay and inaction has pushed the city to the brink since the budget must still be sent to the state comptroller for final certification.

The budget now goes back to the City Council for reconsideration. Five votes are needed to override a mayoral veto.

 

The budget, which would have included a 5.75% property tax increase, is markedly different than the one Amicone sent to the City Council and then revised more than two months ago. It would dramatically cut back on city services, most notably within the city’s police department, eliminating some units and posts altogether.