John Murtagh

Official results—the Board of Elections has finally

completed its tally of the Primary last Tuesday. With 100% of the voted counted—-

Mayor: Democratic Primary:

Mike Spano-52%-3,784

Chuck Lesnick-39%-2,783

Bob Flower-9%-651

Mayor: Republican Primary:

John Murtagh-45%-2,163

Richard Martinelli-31%-1,507

Carlo Cavli-24%-1,1,40

Democrats: Make Mike Mayor!

This was the cheer at Spano campaign headquarters on primary night as Mike Spano won the Democratic Primary for Mayor. Spano (52 percent) defeated Council President Chuck Lesnick (39 percent) and Bob Flower (nine percent).

“To the Democratic voters and the people of Yonkers, I’m deeply humbled and say thank you,” said Spano. “I’ve never seen a campaign where so many people came together for a better future.”

“We said from the beginning that we were going to change the debate and run a positive campaign about how we can change this city,” continued Spano, who thanked Lesnick and Flower for a fair contest.

Spano, who will now face off against republican John Murtagh in November, said that his two priority issues remain fiscal stability and education: “It’s time to replace the years of drama with long term planning and come together in partnership for a better community.”

“We can no longer have another September where our parents don’t know if there child will have a desk in pre-k, or whether they will have transportation to school, or whether there will be enough teachers. It’s time to provide stability to avoid layoffs,” said Spano, who also called for safer streets and relief to the taxpayers. “This is our opportunity. The challenges are enormous but so is our determination. It’s time to get Yonkers back on the right track.”

The Spano headquarters included supporters from the Democratic Party and city unions. While Lesnick would not concede in the days after the primary waiting for every vote to be counted, he did say on primary night, “This race was about education. We had grass roots support. Regardless of the outcome, I’m going to make sure that Yonkers has a first class education and clean our fiscal house.” Lesnick, who has the Working Families Party line for Mayor in November, said he would support the Democratic party’s nomnee 

Murtagh Wins Big in GOP Primary

Republican City Councilman and Minority Leader John Murtagh won a decisive Republican Primary for Mayor on Tuesday, receiving 45 percent of the vote. Former Council President Richard Martinelli was second with 32 percnet and former Councilman Carlo Calvi came in third with 24 percent.

“It’s humbling to be honored by the people of Yonkers who have voted for me,” said Murtagh, who congratulated Martinelli and Calvi on a hard fought race and urged all Republicans to come together. “The message is clear; the people want safe streets, great schools and an affordable place to live, and that’s what we will turn Yonkers into.

“I congratulate Mr. Spano on his victory, but the choice could not be clearer for the residents of Yonkers. It’s a choice of whether the city will move back to the politics of the past 50 years, or whether the city will move forward. If you want to know what the candidates will do as Mayor, look at what they have already done. It’s time for honest and transparent government.”

“I make one promise — when John Murtagh is elected, there will only be one Murtagh on the City of Yonkers payroll. The people are tired of the same leadership and are ready to move forward,” said Murtagh to a packed crowd of supporters, including former Councilwoman Dee Barbato and Mike Breen, winner of the GOP Primary for the Fifth District Council seat, formerly held by Murtagh.

Martinelli conceded Tuesday night and congratulated Murtagh: “It’s not in the cards. Yonkers continues to face serious challenges ahead and I will continue to speak out for the taxpayers.”

Martinelli also ran in a Conservative Primary for Mayor. He had the endorsement of the Conservative Party but write in candidates, including Mike Spano, are making the outcome uncertain. Martinelli said he would, “wait to see what happens with the Conservative Primary and make a decision then.” Martinelli will likely face pressure from Republicans to get out of the race and support Murtagh.

“We ran a positive campaign, but it got negative in the end, with both of my opponents throwing mud at me, and sometimes it sticks. In a three-way race, you never know what’s going to happen.”

It is believed that the third candidate in the race, Calvi, took votes away from Martinelli. “I think he did a good job as a spoiler.” 

YFT President Pat Puleo at a rally this summer at City Hall

Over the past three months, Yonkers Rising has conducted interviews with stakeholders, viewed Board of Education meetings and FOIL requested records in an attempt to give our readers and the people of Yonkers an inside perspective into what has transpired.

Negotiations and Concessions

In May, Yonkers Public Schools (YPS) Superintendent Bernard P. Pierorazio and the Yonkers Board of Education were faced with a $42 million budget gap and forced to lay off 708 employees — 18 administrators, 322 teachers and 368 civil service employees. The Board of Trustees and YPS leaders met with union leaders to discuss strategies and give-backs that could translate into positions saved.

The Yonkers Council of Administrators (YCA) and Civil Service Employee Association (CSEA) voted to accept a one-year wage freeze. Because of this, the Board of Education passed a resolution at the end of June to rescind 367 lay-offs, including 17 administrators and 350 Civil Service employees. The YFT, in June, voted against a one-year wage freeze.

The YPS, in fact, received concessions from all of its employees except the Yonkers Federation of Teachers:

Superintendent of Schools, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Academic Office — In addition to freezing their salaries for the 2011-12 school year, each has given up 10 days of compensation;

Central Office (unaffiliated staff) — A salary freeze has been in effect since 2008. There are no raises or longevity increases for 2011-12;

YCA — Voted to accept a one-year salary freeze, including no steps and/or longevity increases; and

CSEA — Voted to accept a one-year salary freeze, including no steps and/or longevity increases.

Concessions Proposed by the Board to the YFT

Similar to the concessions accepted by the CSEA and YCA, the board initially proposed a one-year wage freeze to the leadership of the YFT. The one-year freeze would have generated $4.4 million. The union rejected the proposal.

Due to the YFT’s refusal to accept a one-year freeze, a Transitional Finance Authority (TFA), proposed by Mayor Phil Amicone, was never created. The TFA would have brought $20 million to the YPS, but it was predicated on the commitment that all three unions freeze their wages for one year.

During two lengthy phone interviews over the summer, YFT President Pat Puleo said that one of the reasons members voted against the give back was that, “there was no guarantee that all teachers would be rehired.” Pierorazio countered that the district’s largest expense is its teaching force, and to reinstate 322 teachers would cost more than $30 million — exceeding the $24 million potential from a YFT freeze and TFA funding.

Pierorazio said that he had explained to YFT leaders that the board would be able to restore 70 to 75 percent of the laid-off teaching positions — approximately 240 — with YFT cooperation. “We absolutely shared this information with the YFT leadership,” said Pierorazio. “Whether or not they shared it with their members, I cannot say.”

New Offers Made by the YPS

Yonkers Rising has discovered that, since the initial proposal, the Board of Education has offered these other one-year recommendations that could save jobs:

Teachers would receive their step increases but accept a deferral of 10 days pay that would generate $10 million, equal to 100 to 120 positions — YFT refused;

Teachers, rather than the YPS, would contribute to the Teachers Welfare Fund. This would amount to a $79.83 per month payment per member and would generate $4 million, approximately 40 to 50 positions — YFT refused;

Allow YPS to apply Teacher Support Aid to the general budget rather than make cash payments that are in addition to teachers’ salaries. This would generate $1.2 million, or 10 to 12 positions — YFT has yet to respond to this offer.

The “Supposed” YFT Concession of $3.5 Million

Puleo told Yonkers Rising that the YFT had, in fact, already made concessions and pointed to a $3.5 million give-back to the school district involving a time change to the start and end of the school day for three schools.

The $3.5 million in savings, however, is derived from cuts in transportation costs, not a reduction in teachers’ wages. Three schools’ start times were changed from 8:35 to 7:35 a.m. and their dismissal times from 3:15 to 2:15 p.m. The adjustment affords buses the opportunity to transport for two school buildings that have different start and dismissal times. This decreases the total number of buses needed and generates the $3.5 million savings.

This was a decision already made by the YPS, which said it requested the YFT sign off on it as a courtesy, rather than going through a decision and grievance process. While the YFT has taken credit for this administrative efficiency, not one dollar in YFT concessions came from this decision.

What is a “Step”?

A “step” is an annual wage increase for the first 14 years of a teachers’ employment and is given independent of, and in addition to, an annual contractual salary increase. For instance, in the 2007-2011 contract, teachers received an annual contractual salary increase of approximately three percent plus an additional three to eight percent step increase for qualifying teachers.

The YFT (and most city unions) are currently working without a contract. However, while YFT members receive no contractual salary increase, members still receive step increases every year until they reach the top tier.

Arbitration Between YFT and YPS

The YFT claimed that, in 2008, they negotiated a “double step” in addition to the three precent contractual salary increase. That year, the district redefined the Step Schedule Grid, removing the first step and sliding the salary schedule down. The YPS argued that, by doing this, the financial equivalent of one step automatically came to the teacher, who had received the financial equivalent of a step increase while remaining on the same step. The discrepancy was the basis for the arbitration.

The arbitration was found in favor of the YFT, causing the district to compensate teachers for back pay and give the additional step — to the tune of $14.4 million.

The Table below shows salaries of a dozen actual teachers selected at random, whose names were removed to protect their privacy. It demonstrates the effect of sliding the scheduled step down (the “Grid Shift”); teachers remained on the same step but received substantial salary increases.

Puleo and the YFT have referred to the school district’s position as a “freeze.” We will let our readers form their own opinion.

Through arbitration, the Board negotiated a “step arbitration” settlement to occur in February rather than September, saving the YPS $2.2 million this school year, but costing it $4.4 million in July, 2012. Therefore, every eligible teacher will receive a salary step increase this September 1 and an additional step increase on February 1, 2012.

The so-called “freeze” will pay YFT members a step and a half this school year and pay out an extra $10 million (above and beyond any future contractual steps) to teachers impacted by the arbitration over the following four years.

Has the YFT Taken a Freeze in the Last 5 Years?

Puleo stated that, in the 2009-10 school year, YFT members took a wage freeze. But, in fact, YFT members received a three percent raise and the equivalent of a step increase. We will let our readers decide if this is a freeze. (see Table 1)

Table 1

Who Is Left to Educate Our Children?

Since June, 81 teachers have been rehired due to reinstatement of full day kindergarten and half-day pre-kindergarten and the opening of a new pre-K to 8 school, the Thomas Cornell Academy, which addresses the district’s growing enrollment. Yet, as nearly 27,000 students in the YPS prepare to go back to school next week, 241 teachers are still without a job.

Last year, the YPS had to make a similar round of painful budget cuts. In fact, within a two year period, YPS has closed 386 teaching positions. This is a recipe for disaster, and with just days left before September 6 — the first day of school — many parents and YPS staff are wondering — will more teachers’ positions be saved? And what will happen if they aren’t?

Lay-offs have a trickle-down effect. Results from the New York State 2011 ELA and Math assessments show a slight decline in YPS students scoring At/Above Proficiency when compared to 2010. The district averaged 37.8 percent At/Above Proficiency in ELA (1.4 percent decline) and 40.4 percent At/Above Proficiency in Math (1.1 percent decline).

Positions cut translate into teacher reassignments, which shift teachers, based on tenure and seniority, to different buildings and grade levels. This mobility impacts classroom instruction. The less continuity of instruction within a classroom, the more difficult it is to realize an improvement in student performance.

No Miracle Funds for 2011-12

In years past, politicians would frequently deliver a last minute infusion of state funds to help save jobs in the YPS. This year, some speculate whether this could happen again. But the funds that were available in the 1990s are no longer available in Albany. It’s possible that the YFT voted against a freeze because it was counting on these last-minute funds, which may not come.

With school starting next Tuesday, has the time for a miracle passed us by?

Jeanine Pirro

The investigation into the wrongful conviction of Angelo DiPietro has taken a startling turn. Recent court filings and investigative documents obtained by Rising Media have revealed that state and federal officials involved in the case may ultimately be the main culprits in the fabrication of the kidnapping story that landed DiPietro in prison for the rest of his life — according to alleged victim John Perazzo.

For the past year, DiPietro’s legal team, headed by Innocence Project Investigator Bill Clutter and prominent defense attorney Joseph Bondy, has uncovered critical pieces of evidence detailing DiPietro’s innocence. As reported previously in Rising’s “Search for Justice” series, the evidence of DiPietro’s innocence includes six exculpatory witnesses, documented letters, missing surveillance tapes, affidavits and phone records.

The investigation into the case has now also revealed that the alleged victim, Perazzo, has made numerous assertions claiming that federal and state officials knowingly allowed and influenced Maurizio Sanginiti to commit perjury in order to convict DiPietro in 2005.

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara

Sanginiti was the sole witness who testified at the trial (Perazzo, the alleged kidnapping victim, never testified), and whose testimony put DiPietro away for life for a crime that even the alleged victim admits never happened.

Similarly devastating to prosecutors, Perazzo has also recently declared that both federal prosecutors and those from former District Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office lied at DiPietro’s trial in order to conceal surveillance tapes that purportedly captured the events of the nights in question.

In conversation after conversation, Perazzo is caught adamantly stating that Maurizio Sanginiti’s trial testimony was false and made up. For example, when questioned whether Sanginiti told the truth that Perazzo was kidnapped in a white van on DiPietro’s orders on June 29, 2001, Perazzo stated “that is not true… that is a lie… that is a fabrication.” In addressing other aspects of Sanginiti’s testimony at DiPietro’s trial, Perazzo called it a “bunch of garbage and unbelievable.” He stated there “were no truths at all” as to what Sanginiti was saying.

The most devastating aspect to these conversations is Perazzo’s insinuation that the officials involved in the case were well aware of Sanginiti’s lies prior to DiPietro’s trial. Perazzo has been overheard stating that when he was first confronted with Sanginiti’s version of event, he told agents that it was a “bunch of bullsh*t.”

John Perazzo

In fact, according to Perazzo, he continued to converse with agents as late as April 26, 2010, in which he spoke to the lead FBI agent on the phone and declared that Sanginiti’s story was “untrue.” In that same conversation, Perazzo also claimed that he advised the agent of his ongoing frustration with the deceit and manipulation of former Westchester District Attorney Jeanine Pirro.

Consistent with this trend, Perazzo was also captured on audio stating that he believed Sanginti’s trial testimony was fed to him. Specifically, one of the released recordings captures Perazzo describing Sanginiti’s testimony as “a farce of untruth” and that he was “probably fed and turned around and came out with it.”

Perazzo also alluded to the other alleged kidnappers involved in the case, and went onto explain that FBI agents were forceful in telling what version of events they wanted to hear, and who should be named as being involved.

The tactics of prosecutors described by Perazzo were corroborated by another witness, Frank Taddeo, who was also interviewed prior to DiPietro’s trial. In a recent statement, Taddeo also declared that “prosecutors did not want to hear the truth and became extremely angry when I told them that nothing happened that evening. Everyone in the room, including two United States Attorneys, continuously attempted to sway me into another story, as I was attacked by cursing and downgrading comments. They started yelling and asking questions, all implying a completely false story that they had obviously invented.”

The final blow to the prosecutor’s case from Perazzo comes when he dismantles their attempt to conceal surveillance tapes that have been sought by DiPietro’s defense team since the inception of the case. Perazzo has stated that federal prosecutors lied in claiming that the entire events of June and July 2001 were not captured and recorded on his video surveillance system. According to Perazzo, the surveillance tapes did record the summer of 2001 and were at his home when items of evidence were seized by the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office.

A Web site, www.hiddencasefiles.com, has been created to help inform the public about the DiPietro case and other wrongful conviction cases. Included on the site are Rising’s “Search for Justice” stories and the audio recordings of Perazzo mentioned in this story.

We hope the current U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara is aware of this case, which was prosecuted year’s before was named to the post. Bharara is knee deep in the middle of his investigation into political corruption in Westchester and beyond, but he also needs to clean up this mess of a wrongful conviction and do the right thing.

After eight years, DiPietro is still in a Federal Prison in Pennsylvania, awaiting the outcome of his motion to vacate his conviction and life sentence. DiPietro’s defense team’s discovery motion is currently before U.S. Magistrate Henry Pittman.

Richard Martinelli

Financial disclosure reports for candidates for mayor and city council were filed last week, giving us a first look at how candidates are doing — dialing for dollars, as this reporter likes to call it. While fundraising is more important in the citywide race for mayor, all candidates must raise enough funds to pay for their palm cards, mailings, TV ads and staff to get out there message to the 200,000 people in the city.

Here are the totals:

Mayor

Republican Richard Martinelli led all candidates in fund raising, with $142,100 raised through July 15. Martinelli’s campaign spent $71,224 in that same period, leaving just under $71,000 on hand. Martinelli received many large contributions of $1,000 or more, and spent $37,250 on staff and on consulting (Digiworks Media).

Democrat Chuck Lesnick was second in fund raising, with $98,370 raised, and with over $40,000 in expenses, leaving a balance of $54,000. Lesnick spent $15,500 on staff and consultants during the first seven months of the year.

Democrat Mike Spano was third with over $57,000 raised, and $9,182 in expenses, leaving $48,465 on hand. Spano received $3,400 in contributions from Yonkers Police Union Political Action Committees PAC’s.

Republican John Murtagh was fourth with $52,931 raised and more than $35,000 in expenses, leaving a $15,000 balance. Murtagh spent over $27,000 on consultants (NLO Strategies and others) and $12,000 for print and postage for an early mailer sent out to Republicans citywide.

Democrat Bob Flower raised $34,510, with most of the contributions coming from a loan from himself and his companies, with $17,825 in expenses, leaving $16,685 left in the bank.

As of press time, no reports were filed from Republican Carlo Calvi, Democrat Shirley Thompson or Evan Inlaw, who some speculate to be only a “place holder” on the Working Families Party line while it awaits the outcome of the Democratic primary.

City Council –Fifth District

Republican Mike Breen led all council candidates with $41,135 raised. His campaign spent $34,329, leaving him $6,805. Breen spent $13,000 in consultants (Digiworks Media).

Republican Stephen Cerrato raised $21,344 and spent $16,774 leaving $4,569. Cerrato received contributions from Yonkers Union PAC’s.

Republican Joe Crotty raised $16,158 and spent $4,150, leaving $12,000 on hand.

No figures available for Democratic 5^thDistrict candidate Kathleen Thomas and Katherine Brezler.

Third District

Democrat Mike Rotanelli raised $15,738 and spent $3,232 leaving $12,506. Democrat Michael Sabatino raised $12,081, and spent $6,294, leaving $5,787. No figures have been released by democratic candidates Dennis Robertson or Michael Sweeney, nor from Republican candidate Jay Bryant.

First District

We could only find a disclosure report for democrat Larry Sykes, who raised $6,674 and spent $5,690, leaving $984 on hand.

Mark Hynes

The large field of democratic candidates stepping forward to run for City Council in the First District to replace Patricia McDow includes Mark Hynes. Hynes is a lifelong resident, a former Yonkers business owner and Democratic Committee co-ward leader who brings a diverse wealth of Yonkers experiences to the race.

“I’m running to make a change,” said Hynes. “Yonkers is what I’ve been about all my life. I hear the concerns of the people in the district and they are the same issues my family is concerned about. I’ve experienced the first district moving forward with development, but backwards in educating our children and keeping our streets safe and clean.”

Hynes has been a District Leader in the Democratic City Committee for 12 years and currently serves as a co-ward leader.

And while some district leaders are more active than others, Hynes’ community involvement runs much deeper, and beyond politics. He attends the church his family founded — the Yonkers Church of God, located at 21 Hudson St.

Hynes has operated a hair salon in downtown Yonkers which, like many barber shops, became a meeting place and social club for many residents to discuss the good and bad about living in Yonkers. Through his business, Hynes became an unofficial liaison between his customers and local elected officials. He employed many Yonkers residents, held voter registration drives, provided haircuts to needy families and donated to and sponsored community events.

As a real estate agent, Hynes has learned how important schools, and property taxes, are to prospective home buyers. And as a Senior Warden of the Free Masons, Farrell Lodge#34, he continues to his help to the people in the district through scholarships for local students, monthly luncheons for the less fortunate, Easter Egg Hunts, Thanksgiving baskets and Christmas dinners.

Hynes has also seen the sour side of living in downtown Yonkers, with a firsthand account of police brutality and getting forced out of his barber shop location by City Hall. Hynes’ experiences, good and bad, are the same things that have happened to many of the residents in the first district.

“I’ve dealt with police brutality and regentrification, and I’m tired of seeing things go the wrong way,” said Hynes. “We have problems with our schools and there are jobs in city hall that shouldn’t be there. And we aren’t safe on our streets, with young people not respectful of the police. Many people in Yonkers have no hope because they don’t trust our officials.

“Education is my number one priority. The school district needs to bring back sports and extracurricular activities to keep the students in school and off the streets and to give them hope.”

On development, Hynes wants to make sure, “that we don’t give developers large tax breaks. It hurts us down the road, and we are New York’s fourth largest city and an attractive location. Developers will come to Yonkers without tax breaks.

“I don’t want to see Yonkers rebuilt so that everyday citizens and small businesses can’t afford it. The mom and pop businesses are the backbone of the city — you meet them and see them every day. You never meet the owners of CVS or Starbucks.”

On crime, Hynes said, “We need police walking the streets again. I live on Riverdale Avenue, and there is too much activity going on outside at 3 a.m. More foot patrols are worth it, even if it means that response times are greater.”

Hynes wants to clean up some of the neighborhoods in the first district, and has a simple plan — put out more garbage cans. “On many corners there are no garbage cans. If we had them, a lot of people wouldn’t litter,” said Hynes.

Hynes lost the Democratic Party’s nomination at the convention in May by a 51 to 49 percent margin to Christopher Johnson. Hynes believes that his lifetime of interactions and experiences in the first district will help him win the Democratic primary against Johnson and Ivy Reeves, Larry Sykes and others (depending on the outcome of petitions submitted last week. Hynes submitted 1,100 signatures and is not being challenged, guaranteeing him a place on the ballot in September).

“Nobody is better known and has done more in the community than I have,” said Hynes. “Christopher Johnson has just moved into the district and hasn’t done anything for the people of Yonkers.” Johnson works for State Senator Andrea-Stewart Cousins.

Hynes called into question the roles that Johnson and City Democratic leader Symra Brandon played in getting the nomination for Johnson, while both are employed by Senator Stewart-Cousins. Brandon also works in the Senator’s downtown Yonkers district office.

“The City leader works for Andrea and Chris [Johnson] also works for Andrea,” said Hynes. “One of them should not have been involved in the vote at the convention. I think the party turned its back on me, and certain people I thought would support me haven’t. But I’ve received dozens of calls from democrats urging me to stay in the race and run in a primary because they believe, and so do I, that I didn’t lose ‘fair and square.’”

In addition to his friends and neighbors in the first district, Hynes will be assisted by his mother and father, 6 siblings, 24 nieces and nephews and more than 40 great nieces and nephews, all of who live in Yonkers and whose numbers rival the Spano clan and their large Yonkers family.

The Democratic Primary is on September 13.

3rd District council candidate Dennis Robertson

The race for City Council in the 3rd District took an odd turn when former Councilman Dennis Robertson, who got the Democratic nomination at the convention to run for his old Third District City Council seat in May. He bowed out of the race last month, telling Yonkers Rising, “my heart’s not in it.” Now, in an odd turn of events for the race for the Third District, Robertson is now back in the race for his old seat.

Here’s what happened; Robertson’s name was placed on the Democratic Party’s petitions along with their candidate for mayor and other council seats. When Robertson bowed out, it put the Democratic Party leaders in a difficult situation. They either had to woo Robertson back into the race, or pick another candidate to fill the vacancy created by Robertson’s departure.

There were three candidates that the Democrat’s Committee to Fill Vacancies (comprised of Democratic City Chair Symra Brandon, former Chair Pauline Galvin and Board of Elections Deputy Commissioner Jeannie Palazola) could have chosen to replace Robertson. They are Mike Rotanelli, Michael Sabatino and Sam Borelli.

While Rotanelli and Sabatino are actively campaigning, Borelli is not and wanted to be handed the place on the ballot. After speaking with several Democratic leaders, we found that the party was NOT convinced — or satisfied — that Rotanelli, Sabatino or Borelli could win in the fall.

Two members of the City Democratic Executive Committee commented on how bringing Robertson back “would get us off the hook” of having to pick his replacement. After Borelli had the lead from the several ward leaders in the 3rd council district, a decision was made to reach out to Robertson and have him stay on the ballot. The last day that Robertson could have declined to run was Monday, so he is officially on the ballot in the Democratic primary in September.

One reason given was that the 3rd council district — formerly held by Republicans John Spencer and Richard Martinelli — is a conservative district with many Democratic Catholics, who would not vote for Sabatino.

“I have great confidence that the constituents in the Third District are long past old bigotries and will judge me on my qualifications, accomplishments and abilities,” said Sabatino

Another reason dandied out is that Robertson has experience on the city council and that, if Council President Chuck Lesnick is elected mayor, Robertson could be appointed interim council president and run for that office, keeping it in democrats hands.

We do not agree with the decision of the Democratic leadership and believe that they have missed an opportunity to support either one of the two candidates actively running in this race, Rotanelli and Sabatino. We think that both candidates are qualified and can win in November. While we also think that Borelli is qualified, he did not actively campaign or circulate petitions.

We also know and respect Robertson’s service toYonkers, his qualifications and his political skills. If Robertson made a decision in June to get out of the race, he meant it and is only returning for reasons other than serving his constituents to the best of his ability.

One Democrat said “the consensus is this was an example of bad leadership in the party” and we agree.

Editor’s Note: We did speak to several leaders of the City Democratic Party, but did not speak to Brandon or Robertson.

Editor’s Note: In this week’s issue of Yonkers Rising, we said that the executive committee was convinced or satisfied—it should read was NOT convinced or satisfied and corrected above.

City Council candidate Katherine Brezler at a senior center in East Yonkers

With the petitioning process now over, the 24 Democratic and Republican candidates for Mayor and City Council must now wait and see if their signatures stand up to challenges from their competitors.

Here’s the latest:

Mayor: 1,000 Valid Signatures Required

Democrats Mike Spano and Chuck Lesnick both filed more than enough signatures to avoid a challenge. Spano got 3,900 signatures, besting every candidate inYonkers. Lesnick obtained a healthy 3,362.

Spano touted his volume of signatures, saying “Today’s announcement continues the campaign’s growing momentum and is another indicator that Democrats across Yonkers are united in providing a new direction at City Hall focused on educational opportunity and economic growth, as well as ending the years of running Yonkers by crisis and blame. This is more than a campaign for mayor — this is a movement for a new direction in our city. Together, we will moveYonkersforward.”

Lesnick said, “I think it’s significant to note that over two-thirds of democrats who signed petitions did not sign for the party’s choice [Mike Spano]. It’s a wide open race.”

Dr. Robert Flower, another democrat, handed in 3,800. Shirley Thompson left the race.

Spano was the Democratic City Committee’s choice for mayor, so the rank and file Democratic District and Ward members collected signatures on his behalf, boosting his total.

Three republicans filed petitions for mayor — Council Minority Leader John Murtagh, former Council President Richard Martinelli and former Councilman Carlo Calvi. Each collected more than enough signatures to thwart a challenge from any other.

Martinelli topped the field with 2,030 signatures. Murtagh, the Yonkers GOP-endorsed candidate, filed with 1,940 and Calvi with 1,830.

“I obtained many of the signatures personally and with the help of over 50 unpaid volunteers,” said Calvi. “It was a pleasure to meet the hundreds of people who signed. I thank them and concur in the reoccurring sentiment which they expressed; thatYonkersneeds to be fixed in many ways, such as taxes, education, waste in City Hall, crime and developer give-aways. I’m not sure of the same about my opponents who appear to have sat back, taken it easy (one of them is reputed to have gone on a nice vacation) while the work was done.”

Martinelli said, “This week, we filed over 2,000 signatures with the Westchester County Board of Elections. They are the signatures of rank and file Republicans who share my belief that, if Yonkers is to grow and flourish, we must cut spending and rein in government so as to lower the tax burden that is breaking that back of so many of our citizens.

“The status-quo doesn’t work anymore. In these tough economic times, we must work together to create an atmosphere inYonkersthat will attract new businesses, new jobs and new opportunity for all our residents.”

Murtagh issued a statement supporting Inspector General Dan Schorr’s audit of the Yonkers Federation of Teachers’ Welfare Fund and Calvi issued a letter on eliminating patronage.

Cavli also has the Independence Party line for mayor. The Conservative Party and Working Families Parties have yet to endorse a mayoral candidate.

3rd City Council candidate Mike Rotanelli

City Council, 1st District:

472 Valid Signatures Required

Five democrats and one republican filed petitions for City Council in the First District. They are:

Democrat Mark Hynes filed an impressive 1,100 signatures — 550 of which were collected solely by his father. Hynes narrowly lost a Democratic mini-convention for the nomination to Christopher Johnson.

Johnson matched Hynes with an equally impressive 1,100 signatures of his own. “We tried to make sure there was real support out there,” said Johnson.

Ivy Reeves, Lawrence Sykes and Derryl Beasley rounded out the field.

Republican Brian Carter filed his petitions for his uphill battle in this overwhelmingly Democratic district.

City Council, 3rd District:

412 Valid Signatures Required

This one gets complicated. Three democrats have filed petitions.

Former Councilman Dennis Robertson was the Democratic party’s nominee and was on the party’s petitions. Robertson, who quit the race last month but is now back submitted 525 signatures.

Democrat Mike Rotanelli topped all contenders in the Third District with an impressive 1,150 signatures. “Although it was a lot of hard work and many hot days,” said Rotanelli, “it was great meeting so many wonderful people. The experience has been completely motivating. I am looking forward to campaigning in the streets continuing to go door to door meeting people and getting to know the issues which are most important to them.”

Democrat Michael Sabatino submitted 635 signatures. Democrat Lamont Badru has withdrawn.

There were also three republicans who filed in the Third District; John Bryant — a democrat who received the GOP nomination —, Michael Sweeney and Michael Myer, all submitted petitions. Their numbers are unknown.

City Council, 5th District:

432 Valid Signatures Required

Democrat Kathleen Thomas submitted 700 signatures, while Democrat Katherine Brezler submitted approximately 500.

Brezler, who collected each and every signature on her petition herself, said “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. We need to get our residents back to work on our roads and buildings; preventative maintenance will save our city from crisis care, which is more costly.

“Our children are our most valuable resource,” Brezler continued. “Our school budget has perceptual budget gaps which forces us to cut building improvement projects, teachers and other vital staff. For too long, the people have been divorced from the process. We need to do what’s right for our future. It’s what’s best for our fiscal house, our safety and our families.”

Three Republicans — Mike Breen, Joe Crotty and Stephen Cerrato — submitted petitions in the Fifth District.

Editor’s Note: In this week’s issue of Yonkers Rising, we incorrectly spelled the first name of Katherine Brezler in the story above.

Sandy Annabi

The political corruption trial of former Yonkers City Councilwoman Sandy Annabi has taken a strange turn, with Federal prosecutors accusing Annabi attorney Bill Aronwald of using the services of Sam Abady as part of the defense team,  last month.

Aronwald called the accusation absurd, and at a court appearance last week on the case, Aronwald and Judge Colleen McMahon had an exchange about Abady in which Judge McMahon accussed Aronwald of lying and being deceptive about what role Abady was playing in Annabi’s defense.  Aronwald called McMahon’s comments offensive and wrong.

And while Annabi told the judge she has full confidence in Aronwald’s representation, it is never a good idea to piss off the Federal Judge that you will try your case before.  Which has a lot of people wondering if Aronwald’s days representing Sandy are numbered.

Abady has always been a strong supporter of Annabi’s innocence, including on this blog. Abady lost his law license in 2005.

Aronwald has represented former Westchester District Attorney Jeannie Pirro. Annabi and Al Pirro were seen ‘dozens of times’ together at Mulino’s restaurant in White Plains, according to staff at Mulino’s.

Disgraced attorney and politcal operative Anthony Mangone, who was recently disbarred, has been going around telling friends that he will not serve any jail time for his role in the corruption scandal.

Sandy Annabi

The trial for disgraced former City Councilwoman Sandy Annabi has been pushed to February 14, 2012. There’s a lot of speculation on why the trial, which was originally set for June 20^th, was delayed for more than 7 months.

The official story is that prosecutors tweaked their indictment, which enabled Annabi’s attorney Bill Aronwald to ask for an adjournment.  And with Aronwald heading to Europe and the Judge’s trial calendar full, the case was bumped into next year.

For Sandy, its good news because she avoids a trial for another 8 months, and Aronwald has more time to try and get the best deal he can for his client. Publicly, Annabi maintains her innocence and Aronwald claims they are going to trial.

Some believe that prosecutors could have moved the case to another judge if they wanted to, but preferred the lengthy delay to continue the investigation. “There’s another reason why this case was delayed. There’s more indictments coming,” said one prominent Westchester and New York City attorney.

Which way U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara goes in his next batch of indictments, and who is helping the feds with information has many wondering.

In the Bronx and New York City, the electronic voting machines scandal is waiting to be cracked open. Why did Election Systems & Software, ES&S, get a $40 Million state contract to provide the thousands of voting machines used in last year’s election.

Westchester attorney and political operative Anthony Mangone, lobbied for ES&S and helped them get the contract. Mangone is co-operated with the Feds and was recently disbarred.

Many Rising Times bloggers believe that former Bronx GOP Chairman Jay Savino, who was subpoenaed in the case, is either cooperating, or a target.  Mangone and Savino shared law office space in White Plains.

North of Westchester, the Putnam County scandal will likely be another path for Bharara to take. Disgraced former State Senator Vinny Leibell took a plea to corruption charges, and has provided the Feds with info. Mangone and his law firm received lucrative contracts for local governments in Putnam, so Mangone can corroborate Leibell’s story.

How heavy Bharara goes into Westchester corruption is anyone’s guess. But many are wondering why its taking so long, with our friend A. Truman blogging to us –

“ When will this United States Attorney’s Office finally round up the whole rotten lot of these players and all of their political co-conspirators? And, when will the FBI finally haul all of the bloody bastards, in and out of the DA’s Office, into Federal Court for arraignment, and bring spiritual and financial relief to the hard-working taxpayers of Westchester?”

Mike Spano

                Here’s the latest on the races for Mayor and three seats on the City Council, with many candidates from both party’s stepping forward.

Mayor-

-Democrats:  Spano vs Lesnick. The leadership in the Democratic party has almost entirely joined to support Assemblyman Mike Spano to be the next Mayor of Yonkers. This includes elected officials, leaders in the City’s democratic party, and most of the ward and district leaders.

Despite the establishment lining up against him, Council President Chuck Lesnick, isn’t backing off.  Lesnick and Spano will face off in a Democratic Primary on September 13, and it will be up to city democrats to decide who wins. Lesnick’s name recognition and constant presence throughout the City makes him a viable candidate who can still win.

Lesnick continues to work on a City budget, in the hopes that he can somehow find some funds to save the Yonkers Public Schools.  If he is successful, Lesnick can run as the one who saved the day. But if he isn’t successful he could be blamed for the loss of 700+ YPS staff.

John Murtagh

-Republicans: Murtagh vs Martinelli. Martinelli recently highlighted the endorsement he received from the Yonkers Conservative party. But the endorsement doesn’t mean that Martinelli gets the Conservative line to run on for Mayor just yet.

The person who will select the Conservative Party’s candidate for Mayor will be the County Conservative Chairman –Hugh Fox, the former President of Yonkers Firefighters Union 628. Fox currently works in County Executive Rob Astorino’s office.

Astorino, the de factor head of Westchester Republicans and Conservatives, will have great influence on this selection, with an announcement coming soon on whether  Martinelli or City Council Minority Leader John Murtagh gets this line.

Murtagh is busy working on a City budget, or lack thereof, advocating a wage freeze and 5% across the board salary cut as a way out of the City’s budget deficits.  Despite the fact that the City’s unions and State leaders have rejected the wage freeze and salary cut, Murtagh message is powerful? For Yonkers Republicans, homeowners and taxpayers.

A Republican primary between Murtagh and Martinelli on September xx  will be another great matchup to watch.

City Council:

First District-In the overwhelmingly Democratic district, the party’s choice is Christopher Johnson. Johnson, who works in Senator Andrea-Stewart Cousins office, is preparing for a Democratic primary between several candidates.

Ivy Reeves will be one of Johnson’s credible opponents. Reeves recently received the endorsement of both the Independence Party and Working Families parties, which means that Reeves will be on the ballot regardless of the outcome of the Democratic primary.

Deryl Beasley is another interesting candidate in the First District.  Beasley brings economic development experience and represents new stream of Yonkers residents, moving to, and living in the downtown.

Ward leader Mark Hynes is 4^th candidate who is well known in the district. The only question about whether all four candidates will be in a primary is if all 4 can gather the required signatures of registered democrats in the district.

Fifth District:

Democrats Katherine Brezler and Kathrine Thomas, and Republicans Stephen Cerrato, Mike Breen, and Joe Crotty, are busy getting their petitions filled, with all five likely to be on the ballot with a Democratic primary between Brezler and Thomas, and a Republican primary between Cerrato, Breen and Crotty to determine the winners.

Breen is the Republican party’s choice, with Thomas getting the Democrats nod. Cerrato recently received the endorsement from the Conservative and Independence party’s.

“I am tremendously proud to be the Conservative Party’s choice for the 5^th District. It is conservative ideals that are going to get this city back on track, and the Independence Party endorsement brings us one step closer to achieving our goal of victory this fall,” said Cerrato.