By Dan Murphy
Meet Ron Matten the republican candidate for Yonkers City Council President. Matten, who has lived most of his life in Yonkers, is confident about the outcome of the election on Nov. 2, based on the message that he is sharing with voters from all parties across the city.
“I think this election will be a lot closer than people think. I am garnering wide support across the city, and I will be announcing my victory on Nov. 2. I can bring a lot to help fix the ills of the city. We are borrowing way too much money and we are overdeveloping our city.”
“My opponent has come out in favor of raising taxes. We need to keep a tight hand on the purse of our city budget before we go back to the taxpayers and ask for more. Higher taxes will force seniors out of their homes, and those who are living on a budget, especially during COVID.
“There are inequities in our schools, but that responsibility falls on the Board of Education. My opponent is a member of the Board of Education. The policy of giving one device per family during the pandemic was a failure. It should have been one device per student.
“We still don’t have an Asst. Superintendent for Business. We didn’t have one in 2015 when an account clerk booked $55 Million in revenue that we didn’t have, which resulted in a fiscal crisis in the city. The school board has abdicated their responsibilities over these decisions and my opponent sits on the board.
“We need to protect our citizens from a rise in crime and in violent crime. Calls to defund the police are wrong and I’m afraid that the City Council will move in that direction if we don’t make sure that our police are properly funded and has the staffing they need.”
What are the voters telling you as you campaign? “That we need to work on our infrastructure. We had a large storm recently, and residents lost their cars and had other damage. Our sewers and storm water drains need to be better maintained. I’m also hearing from homeowners that their water meters aren’t recording properly, and they are getting hit with excessive fees for their water service. Taxes and roads are also on their minds.”
Matten’s key issues are quality of life, overdevelopment, funding the police department, and have more financial transparency. “We require safe streets, quality neighborhoods, and fiscal stability. We are overdeveloping Yonkers. We need to have a master plan for development and sit down with our local neighborhood associations and understand their concerns. We must be much more transparent in our development projects before the community can sign on.”
Matten added that he believes that the overdevelopment of the downtown has the resulted in “displacing families from affordable housing. We need that affordable housing and that is part of the reason for the lack of it.”
On crime, Matten said, “Police Commissioner Mueller testified in Albany recently about the failures of bail reform and recidivism The recent spike in crime is fueled by gang activity. The long-term solution is working with our community anchors to provide engaging youth programs. The near and middle term solution is funding and supporting our police.
Matten also called for a long term budgeting plan. “We need to have a 10-year financial plan for our city budget, instead of a 12-month plan, so we can see the direction we are going.”
Ron Matten grew up on Beale Street in Yonkers and lived in Valentine Gardens. After his dad had a stroke, his mom worked minimum wage jobs and cleaned houses on the weekends to make ends meet. Matten attended Sacred Heart High School and went on to get his bachelor’s degree in Finance and his MBA in Public Administration. He currently works as the Assistant Vice-President for Finance at NY Medical College.
Matten serves on the Board of the Yonkers YMCA, “one of the important organizations in my life,” and on the Yonkers Schools Construction Board. Why did he stay in Yonkers?
“After college, I bought my first house on Nepperhan Avenue, in Nepera Park, and I owned a business on Lockwood Avenue. Yonkers is a great community. It is now the third largest City in New York, but it feels like a small town. I can reach out to my elected officials, and they get back to me. It’s not congested, and New York City is close by. We have trees and the waterfront but everything else you find in a small community.”
Matten is making his first run for elected office but has been a Yonkers republican for all his life. “We need a voice from both sides of the aisle to temper each other. I have been able to draw broad democratic support in this race, which helps me keep my message and views well rounded.
Matten has the support from the Yonkers GOP and from former republican Mayor’s of Yonkers, Phil Amicone and John Spencer. Matten supports Project Labor Agreements, PLA’s, which require union labor to be hired for development projects that use taxpayer dollars, like IDA projects. Matten says that this is one of many things that he and Collins-Bellamy disagree on.
“My opponent has changed her message throughout this campaign. She’s trying to figure out her message, while I’m running on my experience and competency. I’m ready to lead on day one. And I’m not running for another office. I’m planning to win this race and serve all the people as council president.”
Matten is also running on the Common Sense Party line with fellow republicans Councilman Anthony Merante and County Executive candidate Christine Sculti “Based on my experience, competency, and vision for Yonkers, I am asking for your vote. “I have seen the city at its best and its worst. With your vote, I can continue to build consensus and a better Yonkers.
Matten who is vaccinated, quoted Benjamin Franklin who said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”
