Breen, Merante, Pineda-Isaac Vote No
Following weeks of budget hearings, the City of Yonkers 2023-2024 Budget was adopted today with a 4-3 vote by the Yonkers City Council. The Adopted Budget invests in public safety and quality of life services, continues to provide its largest contribution to Yonkers Public Schools and stays below the state-mandated property tax cap.
The 2024 Adopted Budget increases the Maintenance of Effort to the School District budget by $5 million, bringing the total transfer to education to $740 million — making it the largest amount ever budgeted by the city and the largest local share of any big city to a district outside of New York City.
Mayor Spano stated, “This budget is sound and responsible. Given the difficult year, I want to thank the cooperative effort of our City Council, as we make smart investments in our first responders, quality services for our residents, while relieving our taxpayers as best as we can and making the vital investments in education so we can keep moving Yonkers forward.”
“We were able to achieve this Budget through careful deliberations while successfully addressing the growing needs of the third largest city in the state, sustaining the needs of education, public safety, public works, and advancing green spaces through the parks department. The goal ever being prioritizing the quality of life for the City while establishing a fiscally responsible budget. Collaboration between the City Council and Administration ensures continued fiscal accountability and success for the City of Yonkers,” commented Yonkers City Council President and Budget Chair Lakisha Collins-Bellamy.
“I am proud of the hard work that was put into this budget process. Each day I strive to deliver for the people of the City of Yonkers. This is a fiscally sound budget with additional funding added to public safety, an increased Maintenance of Effort by $5 million for Yonkers Public Schools. As an elected official, it is important to pass a sound and healthy budget that will deliver for the constituents. This budget does exactly that and we should be proud of what we have accomplished,” said Yonkers Council Majority Leader and Education Chair Tasha Diaz.
Budget Snapshot:
• $1.4 billion total budget
• $740 million appropriation for the Board of Education, the largest ever budgeted by an Administration
• Increases in property tax rate of 2.9%, staying within state-mandated tax cap
