In 2017 when Councilman Anthony Merante ran to represent the 6th Council District, he was a political novice who never held public office. Anthony Merante is a very successful Yonkers businessman, CPA and community leader. “I came to the job with a very simple approach” said Merante. “The guiding principle in business is customer satisfaction. The need of the customer is always top priority. In government the taxpayers are our customers. Their hard-earned tax dollars fuel City Government so they deserve responsiveness. I set out to make sure their problems were addressed. Problems like road paving, tree maintenance, infrastructure, funding public schools and keeping communities safe.”, noted Merante. “I tell residents your problems are my problem’s and I’m here to help you”. I personally become an advocate for them.
Many district residents can attest to this fact. Etta Foldi from Saw Mill River Rd came to Anthony Merante after the road leading up to her home was so dangerously in disrepair that her granddaughter fell and had to be taken to the hospital for treatment. Mrs. Foldi said,” For years we went to City Hall and pleaded to get this fixed. When Anthony Merante became our Councilman he heard our pleas, he met with us and got the road paved. Anthony is a man who really cares about people”. Then there is Christine Doerr, a Roberts Avenue resident, who said “Roberts Ave had so many potholes you needed to take Dramamine to drive it. We just got the runaround at City Hall. We reached out to Councilman Merante and he went right to work and got our road paved”. Maria Randazzo a resident at the southbound Saw Mill River Parkway Exit 6 (Lockwood Avenue) which had a safety issue. Maria said “Cars come flying off the exit. One even careened into a neighbor’s front yard. We called Councilman Merante and he went right to work for us and had the State DOT install rumble strips”. Claire Gallagher, a community leader said “When our Grassy Sprain Civic Association took on the battle against the planned vast UPS expansion, that would ruin our neighborhood, Anthony stood shoulder to shoulder with us in protests, in the media and in the Council Chamber to rally support for our cause. Anthony was there when we needed him”.
Councilman Merante also proudly points to his record of protecting Yonkers taxpayers. Merante said, “I’m the only Councilmember to Vote No on a Property Tax increase in the 2020/21 budget. As the City Council Budget Chairman, for the 2021/22 budget, I pushed through a 0% tax increase”. Councilman Merante noted “I also refused a taxpayer funded City vehicle. I don’t believe Yonkers taxpayers should be paying for my car.”
Anthony Merante credits his excellent working relationship with Mayor Mike Spano for being an effective Councilman. Merante points out, “Thanks to Mayor Spano, “we earmarked $2 million to have trees removed and replaced to proactively reduce storm power outage problems”. We also made infrastructure repairs from the Sprain Lake dam to the paving of over 30 roads, repaired the chronic deterioration of the Mile Square Road one lane bridge and had the long-needed Suffolk Trail sanitary sewer line installation completed. We’ve upgraded our parks making renovations to Welty, Richter and Annette Vizzini parks”. Merante acknowledges that Public School funding is of critical importance and is proud that we’ve been able to add $25 million in funding for to our public schools annually.
Merante concluded, “I’m not the type of Councilman you’re going to find sitting behind a desk. I’m always on the move in my district. My job is to solve problems not to make speeches or make empty promises. I’m not a talker, I’m a doer. Nothing gives me greater satisfaction than the smile on the face of a grateful constituent whose problem I was able to solve”
Merante will be challenged by democrat Tim Hodges and Stella Schwuchow, running on the Working Families Party line.
