Opinion: Dan Murphy, Editor, Yonkers Rising, YonkersTimes.com
When he was first elected Mayor ten years ago, Mayor Mike Spano vowed to take the drama out of Yonkers politics. Since then, we have seen very little drama, with the affairs of the City being conducted without much controversy.
That was until the City Council re-organizational meeting of Jan. 3. As a reporter, this was my 10th Council re-org meeting, which occur every two years. They usually are conducted quickly in public, with much of the negotiations going on in the council chambers, off camera, as councilmembers seek consensus on leadership positions for the next two years.
This year, the same negotiations occurred in the council chambers, but the conversation continued on the council floor, on Live TV before the people of Yonkers. Two councilmembers Corazon Pineda-Isaac and Shanae Williams, would not accept the results which made Councilmember Tasha Diaz the next Majority Leader. While I can understand the disappointment of both councilmembers at not being chosen or re-elected Majority Leader, the way in which they publicly criticized and attacked Diaz was a first for this reporter in 20 years covering the Yonkers City Council and was clearly evidence of the political drama that Mayor Spano has worked to try and avoid.
What appeared to be happening was that the two councilmembers were trying to get Diaz to blow her stack in public. That did not happen, and after the vote, Diaz spoke to Ru Ros of the Yonkers Voice and pointed out that she had the support of the new Council President, Lakisha Collins-Bellamy.
Why did Diaz point out the support from the new Council President? Because the Council President is the 2nd most powerful elected official in the City of Yonkers, and besides Mayor Spano, she is the only elected official in City government elected Citywide. Her political victory should also provide her with the respect due her election as the first woman of color to be City Council President.
With that respect comes her ability to pick who the next Council Majority Leader should be. And Council President Collins-Bellamy chose Tasha Diaz. To us the case is closed, and there should now be a period of time where both the Council President and the Majority Leader be provided a grace period where they can both get used to their new positions and show the people of Yonkers what they can do, and what their priorities are. Let’s give them a chance to lead and succeed please!
Yonkers Rising featured a letter that we received from several prominent women of color in Yonkers, including former elected officials. The letter, titled Four Black Councilmembers, asked the City Council to select one of the four women on the council, Collins-Bellamy, Diaz, Pineda-Iasac, and Williams, to become the next Majority Leader.
And on Jan. 3, their wishes were granted when Diaz was named Majority Leader. But two councilmembers objected to Diaz. If that was the original reason for the letter, they should have removed Diaz from the four women of color that should be Majority Leader. We agree with the letter, and that is why we featured it on the front page, but again, when one of those four women of color was selected Majority Leader, there should have been no opposition.
The disrespect given to Majority Leader Diaz has continued since her vote against increase the City’s Affordable Housing Ordinance from 10% to 20% last year. That vote has earned her the wrath of many progressive democrats in Yonkers, and was mentioned by both councilmembers as a reason why Diaz should not be the Majority Leader. But Diaz’s decision not to support a 20% affordable housing requirement for new development should not be a dealbreaker to be a leader in the democratic party in Yonkers. Mayor Mike Spano is opposed to a 20% affordable housing ordinance and is negotiating a compromise between 10% and 20%.
At one event last year, in which Diaz was given out food to the hungry, one of her opponents, and a supporter of the 20% affordable housing ordinance, threw a pair of flip flops at her with the words, “don’t flip flop,” and “override the veto” on them. The Yonkers Police were called, and an event that was supposed to feed the hungry became, you guessed it, political drama.
Elections have consequences, and both Councilwoman Diaz and Council President Collins-Bellamy won their elections, and Diaz won a majority of the voters of her colleagues. Let’s move on and let them get to work for the people of Yonkers.
Several members of the City Council could become the next Mayor of Yonkers. There behavior on Jan. 3 did not look like behavior from a future Mayor. And while the political drama is good for reporters like me, its may not be the best way to govern New York State’s third largest City.
