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?”

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.

Cavallo and Independence Party Denies Yonkers Amicone Republicans: Why? — Sam Zherka

Dr. Giulio Cavallo

 

In our previous post, we printed the press release from Westchester Independence Chairman Dr. Giulio Cavallo, who made his endorsements for Yonkers City Council. Cavallo gave the Independence nomination to Ted Winnicki in the Sixth District, John Rubbo in the Fourth District, Virginia Perez in the Second District, and Chuck Lesnick for council president.

Cavallo denied three Republicans the Independence Line — John Larkin in the sixth, Dennis Shepard in the fourth, and Jim Castro-Blanco for council president. Dr. C also denied Democrat Wilson Tererro, who is the Dem Party nominee in the second.

While all four candidates endorsed by Dr. C are worthy of his endorsement, Cavallo usually mixes up his endorsements with Dems and Reps to hedge his political bet. This time in Yonkers, he chose all Dems and two long-shot picks in Rubbo and Perez.

Why? Cavallo’s relationship with Sam Zherka, publisher, Manhattan DA target, etc.

Zherka’s top three most wanted politicians are, in no particular order:

I- County Executive Andy Spano

II- District Attorney Janet DiFiore

III- Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone

Zherka’s distaste for Amicone stems from the city’s removal some of Zherka’s Westchester Guardian boxes. So Cavallo, as a favor to his friend Sam Z, denies Amicone his picks for the Independence line.

Cavallo is also annoyed at Amicone for denying him a job placement for his #2, Deputy Dhyalma Vazquez, who was being chased out of her job with the County DSS.

It is sad but true that Dr. C and Sammy Z. are deeply involved in this upcoming Westchester election.

Rubbo, Winnicki, Perez and Lesnick Get Independence Nominations

 

Ted Winnicki                      John Rubbo

Westchester County Independence Party Chairman Dr. Giulio Cavallo finally released his endorsements for Yonkers City Council. See his statement below, which criticizes  Mayor Phil Amicone while endorsing Ted Winnicki in the Sixth Council District, John Rubbo in the fourth, Virginia Perez in the second and Chuck Lesnick for council president.

While Cavallo’s statement says that Perez and Lesnick were previously given the endorsement, this fact was never released to the press or the public officially until today, with a few candidates not wanting to say anything until Cavallo  made the announcement. 

Obviously this news is good news for all four candidates:

Winnicki — This gives Winnicki a better chance in his race against Republican John Larkin to succeed Dee Barbato in the Sixth District. 

Perez — This gives Perez three party lines – Independence, Conservative and Working Families – going into the Democratic primary in the Second District against Wilson Tererro and Jose Roman. Perez’s partnership with Sandy Annabi, (who is running in the same southwest Yonkers neighborhood for County Board) we are told, was crucial to Perez getting one or more of these lines.

Rubbo — We have heard and posted about this for a week or so, but its still a good boost for Rubbo, who will face off against Dennis Shepard in the GOP primary to represent the Fourth District. Democrat Mario Degiorgio, who also has the Conservative and Working Families lines, is waiting to see if he will be running againts Rubbo, Shepard or both.

Lesnick — again, although expected, is a big win for the incumbent council president, and may eliminate any hopes of Republican Jim Castro-Blanco. Lesnick also has the Working Families Party line, with Castro-Blanco getting the Conservative line.

Analysis — There are two big losers in the Independence party charade: Tererro and Degiorgio:

Tererro — was viewed as a pro-Amicone candidate by Cavallo, who obviously has an axe to grind against the mayor, and any candidate that is even perceived to be close to him. Throw Dennis Shepard into this bunch.

Degiorgio — was given the Independence line only to have it taken away by Cavallo and Yonkers Indepdence Chair Dhyalma Vazquez. While the removal of the line from Degiorgio was said to be because he announced it before Cavallo did, we hear that the real truth was that some type of deal was cut by Cavallo and someone else to deny Degiorgio the Independence line and give it to Rubb0, who rejected the advice of the mayor not to run, and quit his job at City Hall to run.

Following is Cavallo’s statement:

Winnicki, Rubbo Complete Independence Party Picks for Yonkers Council Party Chief Stresses Need for ‘New Thinking’ After 14 Years of Amicone

           Dr. Giulio Cavallo, chairman of The Independence Party of Westchester, announced today the completion of its endorsements for city elections in Yonkers with its support of a Democrat, Ted Winnicki, for Council Member in District 6 and John Rubbo, a Republican, for Council Member in District 4.

            “In this tough fiscal climate, Yonkers desperately needs an infusion of new thinking after 14 years of Phil Amicone at the helm,” Cavallo said. “We think the mature judgment of Ted Winnicki and the fresh ideas of John Rubbo are the right blend of innovative and independent thinking that will result in good government for Yonkers.”

             “Ted Winnicki has proven he has the mettle to stand up in tough situations and his experience as a small business-owner should be invaluable in helping solve Yonkers’ recurring fiscal crises,” Cavallo said.  “John Rubbo had the courage to walk away from a safe City Hall job to pursue his interest in public service and that is exactly the kind of courageous independence our party admires and encourages.”

            Winnicki, 59, is a Yonkers small business-owner (AC Technologies, Inc.) and a decorated  Marine Corps Vietnam combat veteran.  He presently serves as President of the Yonkers Federation of Youth, Inc.  and is the Past President of the Bryn Mawr Boys and Girls Club, Winnicki holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from SUNY Purchase and is married with three children.  The Winnickis make their home on Mile Square Road.

 Rubbo, 27, is a lifelong Yonkers resident who currently works in the merchant processing industry and has a long history of community service including Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Columbus Day Parade Committee, President of the Holy Name Society and Chairman of the Parish Youth Group at Saint John the Baptist and co-founder of the TUSKS Society, a community service and advocacy organization for young adults.  He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Iona College in Communications and an Associate’s degree in Business Administration from Manhattan College.

 Today’s announcement completes the Independence Party slate for November’s Yonkers City Council election.  Previously, the party endorsed incumbent City Council President Chuck Lesnick (D) for re-election and Virginia Perez (D) for election to the Second District seat being vacated by Sandy Annabi due to term limits.

 “Tragically, Virginia Perez knows firsthand the consequences of failing to keep Yonkers’ streets and homes free of violence,” Cavallo said. “Together with Ted Winnicki and John Rubbo, she will help form an independent Council majority to give the City Council President the support he needs for the Council to become an effective check on the administration.”

Yonkers Council Passes Budget, Amicone Vetoes, Council Expected to Override

The Yonkers City Council met last Saturday and approved a budget for the city’s fiscal year, which begins July 1. The council voted 5-2 on an $896 million spending plan, with councilwomen Sandy Annabi and Joan Gronowski voting no.

The council’s budget took Mayor Phil Amicone’s proposed budget and cut an additional $7.1 million to reduce the mayor’s proposed 6.6 percent property tax increase to 5.75 percent. The council cuts also eliminate the need to increase the unpopular income tax surcharge.

Significant details of the council’s budget statement include:

“Recognizing that our proposals will have a direct impact on city services, we, nevertheless, have concluded that the budget we have outlined strikes the appropriate balance between what our citizens need and should expect for city government and what they can afford in these difficult times.
     We have identified areas of spending that were of concern, including overtime spending in excess of budget appropriations, and the use of city vehicles and cell phones by city employees. But most of all, we have simply recognized what every household in Yonkers has learned in recent months. We simply have no choice but to make do with less.

     The adjustments we are proposing will permit the following:

• The authorization of 1,958 full-time municipal employees (seven less than the mayor’s proposal), approximately 100 full-time library employees and funding as requested by the Yonkers Public Schools;
•  Funding for all uniformed vacant positions in the Police and Fire departments permitting new classes of rookies to join the public safety workforce this summer;
• Maintaining twice a week garbage pick-up and all other services currently performed by our Public Works Department;
• Maintaining our Parks Department at full compliment; and
• Maintaining all existing services to veterans and seniors.

We accomplish this with a spending plan that is $896 million. This plan is $7.1 million less than the mayor’s amended proposal, reduces the proposed property tax increase to 5 and 3/4 percent property tax increase and eliminates the need for a 50 percent hike in the income tax altogether. We are able to accomplish this by decreasing the funding for the Yonkers Public Schools by $1 million. The mayor has indicated that the trustees will utilize an additional $1 million from surplus funds available to the schools.

We have also reduced city departmental spending by enacting a 2 percent cut in non-personnel appropriations in all departments saving $860,000. Police and fire department overtime appropriations have been reduced $ 2.2 million and $800,000 respectively as described in alternative plans submitted by the commissioners with their proposed budgets. Funding for non-uniformed vacancies has been removed for a savings of $650,000.

Other departmental reductions that have been implemented are as follows:

• Continued elimination of the ranger program – $500,000;
• Reduction of targeted appropriations in non-personnel accounts – $540,000; and
• Reduction of $100,000 in the city wide fuel account. It is anticipated that the administration will eliminate upwards of 50 vehicles currently utilized in non-public safety areas.     

 This budget also shifts funding for affordable housing subsidies, $1.2 million back to the grant budget under the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) for year 36. It is anticipated that stimulus funds from the federal government will restore programs anticipated to be funded with year 36 CDBG funds.

The capital budget as proposed is $124 million. The council, upon deliberation and reflection on the amount of debt that the city has incurred during recent years, has decided to approve a capital budget of $47 million, providing funding as follows:

• Resurfacing and bridges                                                $2 million
• Library                                                                  $494,000
• Animal Shelter Reconstruction                   $2 million
• Ashburton Avenue Renewal                       $14.6 million
• Yonkers Public Schools                                  $ 28 million”

This statement was made by council members Liam McLaughlin, John Murtagh, Patricia McDow and Dee Barbato and Council President Chuck Lesnick. 

On Wednesday, Mayor Phil Amicone vetoed the budget, primarily because fo cuts to police overtime, which he said would negatively affect the safety of Yonkers residents. The City Council will now call a meeting, yet to be set, to vote to override the mayor’s budget. If the same five council members who voted for the budget vote to override, then the budget passed by teh council will become the city’s budget for the new fiscal year, starting July 1.

The Independence Party Lost in Space in Yonkers Council Races

 

  Dr. Giulio Cavallo-strange bizzare behavior in yonkers council races 

Who will be the nominee’s of the Yonkers Independence Party for Council President, and City Council in the second, fourth and sixthDistricts? The answer remains a mystery, thanks to the shady operations of the Ind Party in Yonkers, led by Chair Dhyalma Vazquez.

First, let us clarify that as of now, nobody mentioned below has the line, and that’s the way Dhyalma and her #1, Dr. Giulio Cavallo, want it.  

For council president, all signs lead to Chuck Lesnick getting the endorsement over Jim Castro-Blanco, with Lesnick the safer choice, and Castro-Blanco, a former US Attorney, not willing to beg or offer anything to try to take it away from Chuck.

In the Sixth District, look for Democrat Ted Winnicki to get the line over Republican  John Larkin.

In the Second District, we are hearing that Virginia Perez will get the Independence line. This is another coup for Perez, who could have the Ind and Cons lines in her battle against fellow Democrat Wilson Tererro in this overwhelmingly Democratic, and Latino district.

In the Fourth District, things have gotten out of control. Dhyalma and the Ind party offered the nomination to Mario Degorgio and he accepted. We were informed of Degiorgio’s nomination and put it up on the blog.

After reading our blog, Dhyalma blew a gasket, saying that she didn’t want any information out until she issued the release, so she took the line away from Degiorgio. We actually think that Vaquez used our blog as an excuse to take the line away from Mario.

Vazquez and Cavallo are currently at odds with Nick Spano and Mayor Phil Amicone, for reasons unknown, but likely to do with the rejection of a job plea. So any candidates supported by either Nick or the Mayor are persona non grata with the Ind party.

Degiorgio, although a Democrat, is being perceived as having the support of Nick Spano, and Dennis Shepard having the support of Amicone. This is the real reason why Degiorgio got the line yanked from him and why Shepard isn’t getting the Ind line.

So who do the dynamic duo of Cavallo and Vazquez turn to? — John Rubbo. See the next Rising Times post for more.

Castro-Blanco, Degiorgio and Perez Nab Conservative Council Endorsements

 

  Mario Degiorgio

Jim Castro-Blanco

Three Yonkers City Council candidates got the Conservative Party endorsement on Thursday. Jim Castro-Blanco got the Council President’s Cons nod, Mario Degiorgio got the Cons line in the 4th council district race, and Virginia Perez got the cons line in the 2nd district.

Castro-Blanco’s getting the cons line for CCP was no surprise. He needs all the lines and votes he can get in his campaign to unseat incumbent CCP Chuck Lesnick.

The races in the 2nd and 4th council were a surprise and important. In the 2nd Democrats Wilson Tererro and Virginia Perez are the two candidates. Tererro got the Yonkers Dems endorsement at the convention. Perez has been quietly building a campaign team and getting some contributions and some support we hear, including that of Councilwoman Sandy Annabi who Perez hopes to replace on the City Council.

Annabi is said to be running for county legislator against Jose Alvarado, and with both the Second Council District and Alvarado’s county leg district being basically the same southwest Yonkers neighborhoods, two alliances have been formed for two elections.

Sandy Annabi and Virginia Perez vs Jose Alvarado and Wilson Tererro. While Tererro is doing the right things, campaigning and being seen everywhere, the Annabi/Perez combination is dangerous. Two primary elections to watch here folks.

In the 4th council district, Dem candidate Mario Degiorgio got the Cons line over Dennis Shepard. Shepard had the support of Mayor Phil Amicone, and the decision of Yonkers Conservatives to endorse Degiorgio is interesting and a slight to the Mayor.

To Degiorgio’s credit, he runs with his experience and contacts from four years ago, he lost to McLaughlin but only by 300 votes in what was deemed a credible campaign.

SFC’s LDA Made Available to Public, But Negotiations Continue

To view the latest draft of SFC’s LDA, follow the link below: http://www.cityofyonkers.com/index.aspx?page=2025

This LDA is the one that the City Council reviewed over the weekend, but it is unlikely that it will be the final version, as the five votes needed for its passage have yet to be secured, even with recent SFC concessions to build a residential tower at Chicken Island and to build a more substantially complete stadium.

The votes of three on the council – Dee Barbato, John Murtagh and Liam McLaughlin — will be the deciding factors on whetheror not the SFC/LDA will pass.

The developers, and the mayor, need all three votes in order to secure five votes for its passage, which will be combined with Council President Chuck Lesnick’s and Councilwoman Pat McDow’s votes.

Barbato and McLaughlin have asked for detailed revenue figures from the minimum development proposed in the LDA of around $400 million. They have also asked for a detailed list of incentives and infrastructure improvements to be paid for by the city, in the hopes of making a informed decision on whether or not the project is good for the city.

Several on the council have also asked for more time to review the LDA, so the finanical deadline of May 20th from SFC is no longer an issue.

Several new developments were uncovered at the council’s Real Estate Committee meeting last night:

The council is not even close to voting the LDA out of the Real Estate Committee for a  vote up or down — time is needed to read and review the LDA, and to try tonegotiate terms that could win over McLaughlin, Barbarto and Murtagh — remember all three are needed, if, as expected, Sandy Annabi and Joan Gronowski vote no.

This will require serious negotiations and more concessions on SFC’s part. The sale price of city land and properties, and the two-year hold that SFC will have on the city before they are required to build are two issues of concern.

Eminent domain (ED) also came up at the Real Estate Committee meeting, with concerns raised by Gronowski and Murtagh (Murtagh has submitted a resolution against any ED use for devleopment projects with incentives). While Lesnick explained that this deal always had an ED component, if it’s inclusion means that Murtagh votes no on the LDA, the deal’s dead.

Several members of the City Council met with Mayor Phil Amicone earlier in the day, with no resolution. While the mayor wants the council to vote on the LDA, Lesnick realizes that there aren’t five votes, not even close to passing it at this time.

So we wait …

Republican CCP Race Still Up in Air; Nick Spano Said to Control Majority of District Leaders

Here’s an update on the Republican race for City Council president (CCP), for the right to face off against Democrat City Council President Chuck Lesnick in November.

The two Republican candidates are Councilman Liam McLaughlin and Jim Castro-Blanco. Castro-Blanco, a first-time candidate, announced early and is running as the political outsider to fix a failed City Council.

McLaughlin, who entered into the race only recently, is running as the candidate with the experience to move the city forward.

Here’s the latest: Three weeks after McLaughlin’s announcement, the candidate who will gain a majority of ward and district leaders at the GOP Convention on May 27 is still a mystery. We recently spoke to Yonkers GOP Chairman John Jacono, who is staying neutral for the moment.

We also spoke to former State Senator Nick Spano, who still holds wide sway over the hearts and minds of Yonkers Republicans. Spano first disputed a prior post we wrote that had him calling district leaders on behalf of McLaughlin — this was an inaccurate statement and we stand corrected.

Spano is also staying neutral for the time being, to make time to get a better feel for how the rank and file Yonkers GOPers feel about the CCP race.

While the Senator was modest about his role and input in this race, it appears that a majority of the Yonkers GOP district leaders are former Spano allies, many of whom are undecided and waiting for marching orders.

We also hear that another key supporter in this race will be Councilwoman Dee Barbato. Rumors have been swirling for weeks that Barbato either has supported or will support McLaughlin, but there has been no public announcement made. A public endorsement of McLaughlin by Barbato could help push McLaughlin over the top in the Republican rich northeast Wards of Yonkers.

Castro-Blanco has the support of Mayor Phil Amicone and Councilman John Murtagh, and has a sizeable chuck of district and ward leaders in his camp.

We have also heard that some Republican council candidates are holding back their support to see which way it all turns out.

We finally hear that back room discussions have begun to try and work this out before the convention.

Bottom line is this race is still up in the air, with most waiting to see where the support of Chairman Jacono and leaders close to Nick Spano end up.  

Cavallo Takes on the Spanos to Get a Job for Dhyalma Vazquez

Westchester Independence Party Chairman Dr. Giulio is getting desperate to find a cozy job for his right hand, Dhyalma Vazquez, the Yonkers chair of the Independence Party.

Cavallo is feeling the heat from the campaign of County Executive Andy Spano, who is running for re-election and wants the Independence line. Vazquez currently works for the county DSS, at a salary of over $100,000. The Spano forces are leaning on Dr. C to stop his alliance with Sam Zherka and Dave Spano — Andy’s son.

Cavallo is in a pickle, and has completely flipped on politicians he has supported, and benefitted from, in the past — most notably Andy Spano and District Attorney Janet DiFiore. He needs to appease Zherka and sees $$$.

While Dr. C has already pitched a Vazquez job at City Hall, he has been rejected. But Cavallo has returned to Yonkers in another effort to secure a job for him, and he is once again using the Independence Party to get it.

Cavallo now wants Vazquez to be appointed a deputy city clerk, and is demanding that the current deputy, Vinny Spano, be replaced. Cavallo is using his Ind. line endorsement to “lean” on members of the City Council to appoint Vazquez. (Kudos to Hezi for getting this information  first — I confirmed it and add the following:)

This pits Cavallo against the Spanos, incluidng Nick Spano, who is another old Cavallo ally now on his s*** list.  Dr. C has been ranting about Nick lately, and the attempted removal of Nick’s brother, Vinny, is an indication of flip flop on all the Spanos — Andy, Nick and Vinny.

The Democrats on the City Council control who gets appointed deputy clerk and what, if any, changes are made. While it is unlikley that the council will buckle to Cavallo’s demands, Cavallo can use the Ind line endorsement against Council President Chuck Lesnick, who is running for re-election and wants the line.

Isn’t there a saying about playing both sides and getting burned in the end?