John Rubbo for City Council — Jimmy Stewart or Kamikaze?

John Rubbo announced his campaign for Yonkers City Council Fourth District last weekend. Here is his statement:

 On Saturday, May 30, at 12 p.m. at the Dunwoodie Golf Course in Yonkers, John Rubbo will declare his candidacy for Yonkers’ Fourth City Council District, announcing his intention to primary on the Republican Party line. After serving the people of Yonkers for the past six years as a public affairs liaison in the office of the mayor, John Rubbo, 27 years-old, will put his strong community ties and organizational knowledge to work in the City Council, offering new ideas, a fresh approach and aspiring vision for a city that too many times gets mired in old time political fights and seems left behind in a changing world.

 

“Yonkers must prosper and not merely survive. We must embrace the changing world and look to diversify the City Council so it can best represent and serve our community as a whole,” states Rubbo.

 

John’s entrance into this race marks a pivotal moment in Yonkers politics and represents the most significant prospect for change in the past decade.

“This election offers me the opportunity to implement continued advancement and stability in our community,” states Rubbo. “The City of Yonkers can no longer afford a path of complacency. The time for innovative thinking, enthusiasm and strong moral principles is at hand.”

 
Rubbo’s candidacy focuses on spurring additional private business investment to grow the non-residential tax base and lessen the tax burden for the average homeowner in the 4th district. “We must not forget that small business built this nation and it is small business that continues to shape the neighborhoods we work and raise our families in,” states Rubbo. “Government must oversee but not overstep its position in the public-private partnership with the business community. Yonkers must take a less bureaucratic approach to government’s relationship with business so that commercial activity in the city can grow.”
Additionally, Rubbo wants to ensure taxes from the 4th district are returned to the district.

 

He states, “Reinvestment of tax dollars in the Fourth District must be sought after, fought for and delivered. McLean Avenue, Yonkers Avenue, Central Park Avenue and Cross County Shopping Center all contribute millions of dollars in tax revenues to the City of Yonkers. These dollars must be reinvested into our district.”

 

Rubbo wants his district to receive its fair share of funding and reinvestment from City Hall for schools, parks, infrastructure, and police and fire stations. Neighborhood improvement initiatives need to be implemented for the district to support projects like business corridor rehabilitation programs.  

 

Rubbo also is running on a “Less is more in government” platform. He states, “Government must focus on keeping our streets safe, building a more competitive urban school district and strengthening the city through smart economic development. With both a state and county government in place, we must embrace the concept of reductions where there are duplications in service. In our schools, there must be a commitment and guarantee that our classrooms will see more budgeted dollars. Desperate times call for desperate measures when it comes to state funding for our schools.”

 
John Rubbo has been actively involved in the Yonkers community, where he has lived his entire life. He is a member of St. John the Baptist parish, and has worked alongside multiple community organizations. John’s community activities include:

          · Yonkers Columbus Day Parade – Chairman & Vice-Chair
          · Relay for Life of Yonkers – Co-Chair
          · The Order Sons of Italy in America – Financial Secretary
          · TUSKS Society – Co-Founder
          · City of Yonkers Republican District Leader
          · Saint John the Baptist Holy Name Society – President
          · Saint John the Baptist Parish Youth Group – Chairman

It’s time to elect the next generation of leadership for Yonkers.

 

All Signs Lead to Mike Spano for Yonkers Mayor

 

Mike Spano-the next Mayor of Yonkers?

  Nick Spano working hard for brother Mike for mayor in 2011?

The recent political shennanigans in Yonkers and in Westchester are being viewed by many as having one desired goal — the election of Assemblyman Mike Spano as the next Mayor of Yonkers in 2011.

The Mike Spano for Mayor talk has been tossed around for some time, but lately the Spanos, led by Nick Spano, have been hard at work laying the groundwork for Mike’s run for mayor in two years, as a Democrat (remember Mike switched parties two years ago, some believe to run for mayor.)

The recent possibility that Andy Spano will get the conservative party line has much to do with Mike Spano for Mayor – -many believe. The scenario has Nick pow wowing with Andy, and Nick reaching out to longtime ally Gail Burns, the county conservative chair, to give the Conservative line to Andy. In return, Nick gets Andy’s help in two years in Mike’s mayoral run.

It appears that Nick Spano was ready to run for county executive if Andy didn’t run this year; Spanos never challenge Spanos. Nick still has his eye on the county exec’s seat four years from now, and we have also heard that Nick is considering switching party’s for that run!

There are two obstacles in Mike Spano becoming the next Yonkers mayor. One is Council President Chuck Lesnick. If Lesnick wins re-election this year, he becomes the front runner for mayor, if he wants it. If he had his pick, Lesnick would like to replace Nita Lowey as Westchester’s congressman when she retires.

The second obstacle is Ken Jenkins, county legislator and Yonkers Dem Chair. Jenkins, the rising star in Westchester politics, may want to run for mayor in two years, but has other options — including becoming the next chair of the County Board, and/or the next County Dem Chairman. Ken will be encouraged by the Spano camp to set his sights on White Plains instead of Yonkers City Hall.

Mayor Phil Amicone’s choice as his next successor will also play a role. Remember there is no love lost between Phil and Mike, with Amicone beating Mike in a bloody GOP primary for mayor six years ago.

City Hall Split Over Who to Support in 4th District Council Race

Dennis Shepard—–John Rubbo

 

The race to replace Liam McLaughlin as councilperson in the Fourth District has gotten more interesting over the past week. At the Yonkers GOP convention last week, Dennis Shepard won the nomination of the party, narrowly defeating Dr. Ron Volino, with Geri Esposito a distant third.

John Rubbo, a former assistant to Mayor Phil Amicone, entered the race late, and did not place his name in nomination at the convention (see previous post). Amicone and others in the mayor’s office advised Rubbo not to run, but he declined the recommendation and resigned from his job at City Hall.

But there is a split in the mayor’s office over who is the preferred candidate in the fourth — with the mayor and his top staff preferring Shepard and the younger staffers wanting Rubbo.

Rubbo shouldn’t expect the public support of any of his young turk friends on the 2nd floor of City Hall — all have been advised not to do so and they have agreed.

All signs point to a GOP primary in the Fourth in September between Shepard, Rubbo and perhaps Esposito and Volino.

Waiting in the wings is the Democratic candidate Mario Degiorgio

Will Amicone Fire Gail Burns???

We hear that Gail Burns recent dalliances with Andy Spano over whether to give him the Conservative Party nomination for County Executive may result in her getting fired from her job at Yonkers City Hall.

Burns works in Mayor Phil Amicone’s office in the position of ‘Golden Goose’. Her power as County Conservative Chair, and her close ties to Nick Spano, makes Gail a desireable person to have around the office of Westchester’s top Republican.

But Burns position may become untenable if she chooses to give the endorsement to Andy Spano, a liberal Democrat, over Republican Rob Astorino, who had the line 4 years ago.

Burns endorsement of Andy Spano may also have something to do with Burns seeking another job, this one in county government, if and when Andy Spano wins re-election.

Sound familiar?? Last month a similar political game for a job was being played with the Indepenence party and the Yonkers Ind Chair Dhyalma Vazquez and her job with the county DSS. Vazquez’s job was threatened by the Andy Spano camp, but in the end the Ind party gave the endorsement to Astorino and told Andy to shove it.

the Ind party’s endorsement of Astorino makes the Conservative party’s endorsement that much more important. If Astorino get the Cons line, then its a real match. If Andy can steal the Cons line, then he is that much closer to a 4th term.

Another sad day in the history of Westchester politics if it happens folks.

County Conservatives to Meet Thursday-Will Gail Burns Give Line to Andy Spano?

 

  Andy Spano-Conservative?

 

the Westchester County Conservative Committee will meet this Thursday, and the big question is who will they nominate for County Executive. Rumors are swirling that County Conservative Chair Gail Burns is in talks with the Andy Spano campaign to give him the nomination, despite the following:

I-90% of the local leaders of the Conservative Party, the Town, Village and City conservative chairs and committees, support Rob Astorino, the Republican and Independence Party candidate for County exec.

II-Astorino had the Conservative Party line 4 years ago and is the true conservative, and should have the line. Call Andy Spano what you want, but the term conservative rarely applies to Andy.

III-Gail Burns’ father, former Conservative Chairman Anthony Aurrichio, was fired from his county job many years ago, by guess who–Andy Spano. Now Gail is considering giving her party’s endorsement to the same person who fired her father.

An effort is underway to try and stop this ridiculous nomination by the Conservative Party. Make your voice known!