By Dan Murphy
Most people in Yonkers know Nader Sayegh from his decades of service to the people of Yonkers as a teacher, principal, president of the Board of Education, and through his public service on too many board and community organizations to mention.
When former Assembly member Shelley Mayer became State Sen. Shelley Mayer, a vacancy was created for the Assembly seat in the 90th District ,which includes 80 percent of Yonkers. Sayegh saw this as an opportunity to continue his service to the people of Yonkers and is seeking to replace Mayer in the Assembly on Nov. 6.
“I am a 60-year resident of Yonkers,” he said. “I am a product of the Yonkers Public Schools, and my children were educated in the YPS. I’m an advocate for Yonkers. My life has been about being a part of the fabric of our community and making this city a better place for everyone.”
Sayegh’s experience on the Board of Education, where he has served for the past six years, has given him the invaluable experience to know how Albany and state government works. “I have joined with the city administration, students, parents and staff to lobby in Albany and to advocate for more education funding for Yonkers,” he said. “I have experience and I believe I’m most qualified to serve the residents of Yonkers in the Assembly.”
During his campaign for Assembly, Sayegh says the voters are asking about education funding, taxes, and quality-of-life issues. The issue of state education funding, which has shortchanged Yonkers for many years, remains the primary concern – and one that Sayegh is ready to address immediately if elected.
“Some homeowners and longtime residents of Yonkers are finding it difficult to stay in their homes, especially after the latest 6.2 percent property tax increase,” he said. “They want relief and I have been a cheerleader for increasing the education formula for a number of years… The people of Yonkers are wondering why we have to go begging for more funding year after year and we have layoffs every budget cycle.”
In addition to his degrees in education, Sayegh also received his JD from Pace University, and practices law in Yonkers. This gives him the perspective of being a small businessman in Yonkers, and the challenges that presents. “As a retired teacher, principal, lawyer and school board member, I can use these skills to challenge the formula,” he said.
Because Yonkers is in Westchester County, the state education formula unfairly places Yonkers with the other, more wealthy communities in the county. Sayegh said he hopes to change that.
“We acknowledge that Westchester is a rich county, but 80 percent of our students receive free and reduced lunch,” he said. “This is an inequitable formula that needs to change. That is the number-one issue because it affects so many people in Yonkers, from families with children in the YPS to homeowners. Even if you don’t have kids in the schools you still have to pay for our education.”
Sayegh said he believes the city needs to take a new approach to development. One upcoming development project could come from Yonkers Raceway and Empire Casino, which is in the process of being sold to MGM. For more than a decade, the City of Yonkers has received $19.6 million from the revenues at the Casino. Sayegh said he wants that figure re-negotiated and increased.
“If the purchase by MGM goes through, they should increase the amount that goes to Yonkers,” he said. “The $19.6 million has remained the same for many years, while revenues at the Casino have more than doubled. Any negotiations with MGM that includes redevelopment of the property should also include an increase in the revenues that go to Yonkers.”
Sayegh said he also believes the city should get more from developers who are lining up to invest in Yonkers.
“Some are comparing Yonkers to Brooklyn,” he said. “If we are the next Brooklyn, we can’t sell ourselves short and give too many tax breaks. We need developers who agree to participate in paying for our services for every resident. This will also help the taxpayers who believe their property taxes are too high… We are in desperate need of additional revenue to help fix our long-term problems. We have 5,000 more students in our public schools, so we need to be creative and not give away the store. Make sure developers pay their fair share and help keep the middle class in Yonkers.”
While not addressing his opponent in the race, Republican Joe Pinion, Sayegh did contrast his experience and life in Yonkers to those of Pinion.
“Anyone who seeks to serve Yonkers in Albany should be asked: What three things have you done in Yonkers, and what makes you qualified for this position?” said Sayegh. “I haven’t heard any answers, while I can list my experience and education and skills that will give me the tools to serve the people of Yonkers.
“I’m the qualified candidate with a long history of commitment to Yonkers, with hands-on experience at every level. I grew up with eight siblings in Yonkers and I’ve raised my family in Yonkers. I’m a family man, a small businessman here in Yonkers, and I serve in the busiest volunteer job in the city, on the Board of Education. In the Assembly, you need to do your homework and back it up. My experience helps me do that. This should not be a position that requires on-the-job training. I can go up to Albany immediately and start working. Yonkers deserves that.”
The political dynamics of State government also play a role in this race. The Assembly has a supermajority of Democrats, and the body is controlled by Democratic Speaker Carl Heastie.
Sayegh said he wants to serve in that Democratic majority to get the best result for Yonkers. “Whoever represents Yonkers can bring about greater positive results when you work with the democratic majority,” he said. “To have someone representing you that is not a part of the majority means that at the end of the day, Yonkers will lose out.
“Fortunately, Yonkers now has two senators from Yonkers. This is an opportunity for all of us to work together to finally fix the problems in our city. A Republican representative from Yonkers won’t work as closely with our senator. I am running as a Democrat and support the progressive agenda of our state representatives,” said Sayegh who is also running on four other minor party lines.
Sayegh is a former member of the Yonkers Federation of Teachers and the Yonkers Council of Administrators. He has received the support of all the unions in Yonkers and the Working Families Party.
“I understand that working families need to have affordable health care and a working wage to raise their families,” he said. “Kids going away to college are worried about their debts. We have a shortage of doctors because the tuition is a half-million dollars. These are some of the issues I want to work on in the Assembly – it’s not just about education.”
Sayegh said he hopes to continue the work and progress made by Mayer in the Assembly. “I’m working closely with Sen. Mayer and reaching out to other members of the Assembly to build a coalition and work together,” he said. “I look forward to seeking guidance from Sen. Mayer.
Sayegh said he also hopes to address the issues of corruption and hyper-partisanship in Albany.
“The people want us to address their concerns about corruption, and the divisiveness that exists and filters down from Washington,” he said. “I will serve all of the people in my district, and I ask the voters to make your choice based on who is the most qualified, who has the most experience, and who can put their interests and the interests of our city forward.”
