In one of the least contoversial budgets in three decades, the City of Yonkers passed a $1.25 Billion budget for both City and Education operations by a 7-0 vote. The budget included a 0% property tax increase (under the tax cap), no cuts to city services or positions, and provides an additional $10.9 Million in funding for the Yonkers Public Schools.
Mayor MIke Spano said, “Like many cities across the country, Yonkers experienced a yearlong lockdown due to a global pandemic that crippled local businesses and employment. Fortunately, Yonkers weathered the storm better than expected, allowing us to prevent an increase in the taxes so not to place additional burdens on our taxpayers. Today, the city is emerging from the lockdown and is getting back to business, putting our residents back to work.”
The City held budget hearings, which were attended by only a few residents. The 2022 Adopted Budget also increases the School District’s budget, totaling the city’s contribution to $280.5 million — making it the largest local share of any big city to a district outside of New York City. Over 53% of the Adopted Budget is devoted to the Yonkers Public Schools, the highest percentage contribution made during the Spano Administration.
City Council Majority Leader Corazon Pineda-Isaac said, “I am proud to have voted for a lean and honest budget that
provides for the largest contribution to education ever, and a zero percent increase to property taxes. Following a global pandemic that plagued communities across our nation, I knew we could not balance a budget on the backs of taxpayers.
“Key highlights include $2 million for which I personally advocated, to restore the much needed Junior Varsity Sports, for our high school student-athletes, 22 additional Music and Arts Positions , 7 additional Librarians , 8 Physical Education Positions, 8 Career and Tech Education Positions, 5 Foreign Language Instructors, 53 School Counselors, Social Workers and Psychologists,
“I advocated for funding to support the Montefiore Nurse Family Program which supports young mothers and provides at home visits from baby birth until the age of two. I also advocated for the allocation of money which allows us to get 300 families off of the Section 8 vouchers waiting list and provide more people with housing,” said Pineda-Isaac.
“By working together with our City Council, we are maintaining quality services for our residents, relieving our taxpayers as best as we can and making the vital investments in education so we can keep moving Yonkers forward,” Mayor Spano added.
Budget Snapshot:
• $1.25 billion total budget
• No property tax increase; stays within state-mandated tax cap
• Includes record increase in aid to Yonkers Board of Education with increase of $10.9M
• No cuts in city services and positions
