By Eric Wolf Schoen
Can you believe this weekend is Memorial Day Weekend? The official start of summer. Did you get your swim suit out of the mothballs? Your beach towel so you can lay in the sun and absorb the rays and get that summer glow?
By the way, if by chance you stored your bathing suit in moth balls, make sure you wash it thoroughly before you put it on, washing all the mothball fragrance and any sentiment away. If you don’t do this, you will have a burning sensation when you hit a chlorinated pool over the areas that your bathing suit covers. Mothballs and chlorinated water do not mix, and take it from personal experience it’s not the most comfortable feeling. It’s happened to many of us, so be thankful if it hasn’t happened to you.
If you are going to hit the water whether it be your own pool or a public pool, make sure you know how to swim. Many of the county pools have swim classes available for adults and children, so take advantage of them. Always keep young children in shallow water close to you if they don’t know how to swim, and adults keep your eyes on young children. We want you around to keep reading these papers! Make sure there is a lifeguard present at the pool or beach, and if the signs say no swimming don’t be a big shot and try to swim without one. Stew Leonard’s website has some good information to prepare for your water excursion. Check it out!
As this column goes to press the Yonkers City Council is holding hearings on the proposed city and school budget. Tuesday night I got numbers on some of the proposed staffing cuts and the picture is not good. 95 teachers and teaching assistants, 39 10-month civil service, 6 12 month Civil Service including the Locksmith (didn’t know the district had one but fully understand the need) and 2 Central Office Administrators. This is probably a best case scenario if the City Council breaks the tax cap. Don’t know if there are 4 votes to do that, and if the Mayor who has higher aspirations would agree to it. No one wants to vote to break the tax cap, particularly a Mayor who may run countywide where the citizenry will always remember his actions.
These layoffs are of surprise to no one. Don’t let our officials tell you they are shocked. THE CITY OF YONKERS BUDGET TANGO, what I have called it for years is caused by in large part the number of positions added to the budget using pandemic funding. The funding ended but no one planned for its replacement.
I visited a wonderful exhibit at Yonkers Middle/High School this week where our students displayed their studies of our great city and the many things they have done to make Yonkers a better place for those in need and how they imagine what Yonkers will look like in the future. The student projects were displayed in the school arena. My visit brought back memories of my high school days at Yonkers High School (1974-1978) and the yearly budget drama students and staff went through. Over 40 years later and the district is still having the same financial woes.
Don’t blame the fiscal mess on the New Superintendent of Schools Anibal Soler, Jr. who I had the pleasure to meet at the Yonkers Middle/High School event. He was truly engaged in the student projects. He was probably brought onboard by the Trustees in May as opposed to over the summer to take an active role in the budget process for 2024-2025 that he will be charged with administering.
The question this year as in years going back to the 70’s is? Who will be the Mighty Mouse to save the day and bring Yonkers the funds it needs. My bet this year is on the State with Senators and Assemblymen up for re-election. The sad thing is that those staff members who are in the district the shortest period of time are usually the first ones affected. Working in a district which hands out pink slips every year is humiliating. All I can say to those who might be terminated? Look at other .districts for openings in your field, and take them job. No one should have to suffer the humiliation Yonkers School Employees have gone through with the announcement of layoffs, a process that has occurred most years since my days in high school.
The Democratic Primary featuring incumbent Jamaal Bowman and County Executive George Latimer will be in the headlines everyday. Do people want a Congressman, former Principal who should know better than endanger the lives of people by pulling Fire Alarms censured by his peers shortly thereafter, or do they want a Congressman with a track record 99% of Democrats support. Remember the Primary is June 25 and you can register to vote until June 15. MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD WESTCHESTER AND BRONX RESIDENTS!
Congestion Pricing, scheduled to take effect at the end of June in New York City will affect every citizen in this region. Cheer on those who are fighting it. It’s just another tax that will hurt New York City, a city that needs all the help it can get. In response to my column several weeks ago 1 person, a friend supported Congestion Pricing, and most had choice words to describe an exorbitant fee where monies collected will support public transportation with not a nickel to improve the roads our cars go over getting flat tires. Most of the people who are against congestion pricing don’t trust the Metropolitan Transit Agency and the highly paid officials responsible for its implementation. Who can blame them. MTA facilities receive more and more money and things never change.
People are unhappy with both Presidential candidates as we head up to the political conventions. RFK, Jr. Is a sad alternative not even supported by his family. It’s going to come down to the economy. People feel good if they have a job that allows them to provide for their family. People don’t feel good paying $5 for a four pack of Jello gelatins in the dairy case.
Will the fights going on in our campuses across the world regarding the Middle East and Israel go from the campus to our streets? It’s something we have to keep our eyes on, as will law enforcement.
And we have to keep our eyes on those who steal from our supermarkets to stores selling high end fashions. The thievery is partly responsible for the high prices we pay for Jello to McDonald’s or for a suit of clothes at Macy’s!
Will more restaurants fail like Red Lobster and Applebees. To be honest, who can afford to dine out now anyway?
The Trump trials, the fentanyl crisis, and the way people drive like animals on our roadways will all be a big part of this summer.
The only one who seems to be making money is former President Obama at $1 million a speech.
Will the Living be easy this summer, or is there just too much going on? Unfortunately we will have to wait for that answer until the temperatures cool down, the bathing suits are put away and it’s time to go back to school for our bright students. Keep your fingers crossed and pray that the Summer of 2024 will be filled with sunshine for you and your families and Peace in the world!
Reach Eric Schoen at thistooisyonkers@aol.com, or friend him on Facebook Eric Schoen…just look for him in the picture with Joan Rivers!
