City and Rio at Odds Over Patio for Riverfront Whiskey Bar

 

The owners of the Whiskey Rio Bar, located on the Yonkers riverfront, and the City of Yonkers are at odds over the future use of a patio located outside of the bar; the city and the landlord, Collins Enterprises, are taking away Rio’s rights to the patio with Rio’s owners claiming that these actions are improper and illegal.

The Rio has been in business on the waterfront for four years. Adjacent to the Rio is the former Pier View Restaurant, which closed in January, with a new restaurant/bar set to open there in September Rising hears. This new tenant would like to expand their operations to include the Rio’s riverside location, with Rio’s owners claiming that the city and Collins are trying to force them out of business.

Both locations are part of Hudson Park, built and owned by Collins. While the lease for the Pier View was prohibitive, ($16,000 per month), the lease for the Rio is reasonable (a few thousand per month, plus a yearly charge of $10,000 for the patio. The owners of the Rio want to stay, but recently Collins claimed that Rio violated their lease by not staying open during the winter months and for not serving lunch and dinner every day. Based on that violation, Collins has begun eviction proceedings, and the city took the patio lease away from the Rio, padlocking the tables and chairs outside. Rio got an injunction to remove the padlocks, and that’s where both sides currently stand.

Mayor Phil Amicone, through spokesman David Simpson, said that there have been numerous complaints about the Rio’s noise and late hours of operation. But an inquiry we made shows that the Rio has not had any violations issued to them in the past two years.

While a few tenants in Hudson Park have complained about the noise, some in the business community downtown are wondering what this latest feud between Rio and the city is all about. “Anybody who rented an apartment above a bar should realize that there will be noise,” said one downtown business owner. “We are hurting in the downtown/waterfront and struggling to survive. The city shouldn’t be forcing one business out; they should be supporting local businesses. “

Another downtown property owner questioned the motivations of City Hall with Rio. “Collins will do whatever the mayor wants them to do. If a caterer comes in and opens the old Pier View, that’s fine, but why should they get the Rio also? It sure looks like they are playing favorites; we need to stop fighting with existing businesses.”

Council Overrides Amicone Veto and Passes Their Budget

The Yonkers City Council held a special meeting today and voted to override Mayor Phil Amicone’s veto of the city budget, which was amended by the council to include $7 million in cuts, and a reduction in the tax increase from 6.6 percent to 5.75 percent. The council cuts also eliminated the need to increase the unpopular income tax surcharge.

The council passed their version of the budget last week, with the mayor vetoing the budget this week, saying that he cannot sign a budget with the $2 million in cuts to police overtime.

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.

 

 

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.

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.

Amicone Veto of Council Budget Possible — 930 a.m. Press Conference

I was incorrect when I posted that Mayor Phil Amicone is expected to sign the City Council’s budget proposal. The mayor and his staff are currently taking a hard look at the council’s budget, with a veto a real possibility.

The mayor’s major concern is the cut in $2+ million in police overtime. While police overtime (OT) has grown to $10 million per year in recent years and is a very easy target for the budget axe to fall on, the reality is that without a certain amount of overtime in the budget, whenever an officer takes his or her vacation, or calls in sick, the Yonkers Police Department (YPD)  has to bring in another officer at OT to take their place. Otherwise, that slot becomes vacant for the day or week, thus reducing the number of officers on the streets, which is the argument posed against cutting the overtime.

The mayor is said to be negotiating with the City Council tonight, suggesting that if the council restores the $2+ million in police overtime, he will go along with the other council cuts.

The mayor has scheduled a press conference for tomorrow morning at 930 a.m.

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.

The Insanity of Minor Parties Reaches Into Yonkers Council Races

 

  Mario Degiorgio Gets Conservative Line

I’ve been railing against the two major, minor parties’ involvement in this year’s elections for the past two months. On the county side, the Westchester Conservative Party’s endorsement of Andy Spano for County Executive has lit a firestorm over this issue, and while its glad to see people are taking a good look at the Conservative party, it’s shameful how County Conservative Chairwoman Gail Burns handed the line to Andy Spano, against the wishes of her rank and file Conservative — 95 percent of whom wanted Rob Astorino to get their line.

The minor parties have now reached Yonkers and the chaos has just begun. First the Conservatives in Yonkers nominated Jim Castro-Blanco to be their nominee for City Council President — no surprise there.

Democrat Mario Degiorgio, running in the Fourth Council District race, received the Conservative party endorsement, along with Republican John Larkin in the Sixth District, and Virginia Perez in the Second District.

The two surprises here were Degiorgio and Perez getting the Conservative line. Degiorgio is running against Republicans Dennis Shepard and John Rubbo, with Shepard and Degiorgio the two front runners. Shepard has the support of Mayor Phil Amicone, and the nomination of Degiorgio is a minor slight to him.

Similar for Virginia Perez, who continues to build momentum in her campaign to replace Sandy Annabi. Annabi has all but endorsed Perez to replace her on the council, and the two are running as a dangerous duo — with Perez running for the Second Council District and Annabi running for County Legislator against Jose Alvarado. Both races are to represent Southwest Yonkers so look for a knock on the door from Perez and Annabi soon.

The Independence Party is even more of a mess — see the next Rising Times post.

Political Conspiracy Gives Andy Spano Conservative Line

Andy Spano-Conservative?

This ain’t 2001 folks — the times they are a changin’.

On Thursday,  the Westchester Conservative Party met secretly, and in a scene reminiscent of the prior Westchester political escapades, endorsed Andy Spano for re-election as County Executive.

The Conservative’s endorsement for county exec was hijacked by its own chair, Gail Burns, who held the proxies of district leaders necessary to hand the Liberal Democrat Andy Spano the Conservative Party’s nomination.

Although warned about this possibility for weeks (and we shared our warnings with our readers), the fact that it actual happened is still shocking. While we are embarrassed that this is happening again in Westchester, we are overjoyed with the response from rank and file Conservatives, and also from believers in fair government in general.  This ain’t 2001 folks, and the times they are a changing.

Let’s break this endorsement down three ways: Why it was made, Who were the real dealmakers and what happens next.

Why would Gail Burns, a lifelong Conservative, whose father Anthony Aurrichio served as County Conservative Chairman before her, give the endorsement to Andy Spano, a lifelong Democrat, who fired Aurrichio from his county job years ago. Why would she go against her party’s ideology, her fellow district leaders and local chairs, and go against her conscience?

It’s clear that Gail wouldn’t make this rash decision on her own, although that’s what she will probably tell you. Gail worked in the office of former State Senator Nick Spano before landing her current job a few years ago after Nick’s loss to Sen.  Andrea-Stewart Cousins, at Yonkers City Hall in Mayor Phil Amicone’s office.  

Somebody whispered in Gail’s ear to give the Consservative line to Andy.  Who was it? Nick Spano and Mayor Amicone are the two likely culprits because of Burns’ employment situation and loyalties.

Mayor Amicone had nothing to do with Burns’ decision, and wanted the exact opposite to happen, and is feeling the heat to fire Burns (more on this later). Which leaves Nick Spano  as suspect #1.

Why would Nick Spano want Andy to get the Conservative line?  Because Nick is seeking Andy’s support for Nick’s brother Mike Spano, and his quest to become the next Mayor of Yonkers.  Assemblyman Mike switched to a Democrat two years ago, and Andy’s support, and Andy’s ability to get others out of the race, would be a good help to Mike and Nick.

So Nick gives Andy the Conservative Party line, in return for Andy’s support of Mike Spano in two years.  So Nick reaches  long-time political ally Gail Burns, who endorses Andy.

Some bloggers, like Bob Fois, have this conspiracy reaching up to Albany, with former Deputy County Exec Larry Schwartz, who now works for Governor David Paterson, getting the governor to intervene and make a phone call or two.  This also makes sense and could be a result of Nick Spano, with 25 years of experience in the capital and his new role as lobbyist, getting Albany involved.

Burns’ benefit will be a county or state job if she is fired from Yonkers City Hall. This endorsement puts Mayor Amicone is a position he didn’t want to be in and had nothing to do with. Amicone is under pressure from Republicans, furious at Burns for endorsing Andy and not Rob Astorino for county exec and want Burns fired yesterday.

The mayor doesn’t want to start a fight with the Spano by firing Burns, and has his own slate of Republican council candidates this November that he wants elected. If the Mayor ticks off the Spano, they may either not help the GOP candidates or actively work against them.

 

Dealmakers: Nick Spano, Andy Spano, Gail Burns and Larry Schwartz

What Happens Next: 

It appears from the initial backlash that this plan will backfire on Andy Spano and negate any benefit he gets from the Conservative line. Real Democrats are upset that Andy took the line, Independents may be swayed by the appearance of another “fixed election” and vote Astorino.  Republicans and Conservatives may be fired up to make sure Andy doesn’t win and rally to Astornio. This is best case for Astorino.

Another option is that Andy rides out this storm like the others over the years, and this is forgotten about over the summer. He rides the wave of a 100,000 Dem enrollment edge to re-election.

Although these actions are not criminal, we wonder what impact if any, this has on the US Attorney’s probe of political corruption in Westchester, long overdue to pop.

This endorsement not only hurts Astorino, but his supporters, or the anti-Andy crowd. County Independence Party Chairman Dr. Giulio Cavallo stuck out his neck and supported Astorino.  The Rethinking County Government crowd, led by Sam Zherka, cannot be pleased with this result.

One closing thought: can we all agree to this rule about minor party elections — the same candidate should not have both the Conservative Party and Working Families Party line for any election. Their political ideologies are at complete opposites, with both trying to rub out the others existence.

Yet, Andy Spano will have both lines this November.