Merante & Rubbo Want 0% tax increase
By Dan Murphy
Right now, there are not 4 votes on the Yonkers City Council for Mayor Mike Spano’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2020 which starts on July 1. Spano has proposed a $1.15 Billion spending plan that includes a 3.93% property tax increase, $32 Million more in education funding, but a $12 Million hole in the YPS remains.
The three republican councilmembers are not supportive of the 3.93% tax increase, especially after last year’s budget had a 6.2% property tax increase. Two republican councilmembers, Anthony Merante and John Rubbo, want a 0% tax increase this year.
“I want to help the schools, and the Mayor gave them an additional $12 Million, without any commitment from the state for additional funding. For me this year’s tax increase has to be 0%. If we have to cut then we have to keep cutting the budget. The City and the Board of Education cannot control their payrolls. Last year, we raised taxes by 6% to make sure the City side of the budget was good for a couple of years. I can’t see another tax increase after last year,” said Councilman Anthony Merante.
Councilman John Rubbo said, “I want to see us start at a 0% tax increase as well. We went for a 6% tax increase in the last budget, which under the cost of living should have been able to get us through 3 years, but here we are again looking at a 3.93% tax increase. In politics, it’s all about negotiation and compromise, so let’s come to the table and work with the other councilmembers and the Mayor to see where we can end up, making sure that we take care of our schools and take care of the city. I think the Mayor has proposed a fair budget but I think we can get the tax increase lower and closer to 0 with some discussions.”
City Council President Mike Khader told Yonkers Rising that he does not support the Mayor’s proposed budget at this point, with more council hearings and review to come. “I’m not there yet, but I am no opposed to increasing the maintenance of effort by $12 Million, which is part of the Mayor’s budget. But I would also like to see more oversight on how that money is spent and earmarking some of those dollars for social workers, psychologists and other support staff that we need in the YPS.
Khader appears to be the critical 4th vote on the council to approve the budget, with the 3 other council democrats, Majority Leader Michael Sabatino and Councilwomen Corazon Pineda-Isaac and Shanae Williams, supporting the Mayor’s budget.
Council Minority Leader Mike Breen said last month that he is looking to get the tax increase a lit bit lower than the proposed 3.93%. Indications are that the Mayor and his budget staff are open to a compromise of some new proposed job additions on the city side of the budget and a lower property tax increase. If the council and mayor were to agree.
The City Council heard from YPS Superintendent Dr. Edwin Quezada, who reviewed his proposed budget with the council. Quezada has proposed a $645 Million budget with 106 in job cuts.
A $17 Million hole in the YPS budget has been reduced to $12 Million because the City will bond for the $5 Million cost of new books. It does not appear that there is support for additional city funding to go the YPS, and there has been no indication of any additional funding coming from NY State.
While a budget plan is supposed to be reached by the end of May, the Mayor and the Council can continue to negotiate into June and wait for the State legislature to recess to see if additional state funds are coming. City tax bills have to go out in July, so the drop-dead date for a City budget is July 1.
