This too is Yonkers– by Eric W. Schoen
And here we go again. Political leaders on both sides of the aisle in Yonkers are looking for ways to change the laws to allow elected officials in Yonkers to serve more than 2 terms. Their logic? Things are going great in Yonkers and ‘our city needs us.’
Things are going great? Believe that and I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you. Have we ever had a budget cycle without chaos and threats of job layoffs and turmoil. Only to be solved with our elected officials joining union leaders and parents and workers marching up to Albany, tin cups in hand begging for a bailout.
Mayor Mike Spano assured me earlier this year that he would not be supporting ending term limits. He said to me ‘do you realize how difficult this job is and the hours one must spend to do the job right. Eight years is plenty of time. I am not looking for any more time as Mayor, even though I enjoy this job very much.’
The rumor is that the powers that be might want to do a one time term limit extension to ‘keep the good things going.’ This is the same charade former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg did in New York City. A city more complex than Yonkers that doesn’t do the ‘budget tango’ threatening layoffs every year upsetting city workers and their families. People in New York City to this day regret their decision to overturn term limits even if it was just for one cycle.
How can term limits be changed to allow for one more term for those in power or permanently eliminated. The Mayor or City Council can appoint a Charter Revision Commission to place a referendum on the ballot for Yonkers voters to decide. The City Council can change the charter, usually in the middle of the night when no one is watching to eliminate term limits. There are probably other sneaky ways to do it. Folks stay up late at night trying to figure them out.
Now, other than their belief that everything in Yonkers is perfect, Why would our elected officials want to change term limits to allow another 4 year term? It all has to do with pension eligibility and health insurance eligibility.
The pension tier our newest elected officials are in require them to have 10 years of service before they can collect pensions. They are also required to have 10 years of service in order for them to have health insurance for life paid for by the city of Yonkers. In other words ‘We, The People.’
The current eight year maximum years of service doesn’t allow our newest elected officials to get these generous benefits. Good reason why some elected officials want an extension allowing them to serve 4 more years. (Note that with his service in the State Assembly And the fact he is in a different pension tier even though he will have served only 8 years as Mayor, Mike Spano qualifies for a pension and lifetime taxpayer funded health benefits.)
So friends, that in a nutshell is what we have before us. In I hope easy and clear terms that you can understand. Some elected officials have gotten around this by at the end of their eight years of service getting appointed to a government job for At least 2 years so they can qualify for the goodies. And some of these jobs over the years have been not ‘no show’ but ‘low show’ jobs not requiring them to do all that much.
Low show jobs in a city with a budget crisis every year? Does it make sense? There are 200,000 people in Yonkers. I am sure we can find 8 people among us to run the affairs of our great city. Hey, at least 8 people that want to run around town having their pictures taken literally at the hammering of a nail in the wall! We have that now!
Hot Topics:
Dunkin’ Donuts is taking the ‘Donuts’ out of their name later this year to reflect the fact that coffee and beverages are more important than donuts in their profitability margins. I am a Starbucks fan, so it won’t mean anything to me. Everyone is either a Dunkin’ Fan or Starbucks fan. Never the twain shall meet!
Halloween growing up meant your parents checked all your treats for razor blades, pins, etc. I remember going to a neighbor’s house, she had just come home from the store with a four pack of apples. She gave us apples right out of the package. We threw the perfectly good apples away out of fear of razor blades. What a waste of good food. So now the fear is that candies we eat (I.e. Gummy bears) will be laced with marijuana or other drugs cooked into them and given to trick or treaters. What’s next?
I remember going to a wine tasting in New York City and when I told one of the wine representatives pouring samples that I lived in Yonkers he told me how fortunate I was for price and selection to be near Stew Leonards. Now we hear Total Wine, a spirits discounter is requesting a license to move to Central Avenue. Small, old time Liquor stores are worried about Total Wine putting them out of business. You might pay a little more but if you want good customer service with someone who knows their spirits you will go to the small old time store to make your purchase. They are your neighbors and friends.
Weather outside has been frightful. No one chalks it up to global warming. What’s causing these crazy weather patterns flooding our roadways?
Can you believe people Lease animals? That should be outlawed. So many beautiful pets up for adoption in Yonkers, New Rochelle and other local animal shelters!
The other day we heard Trump at United Nations state that the United States will only give aid to countries who support us. Whether you like him or loathe him, what’s wrong with that?
Reach Eric Schoen at thistooisyonkers@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter @ericyonkers. Listen to Eric Schoen and Dan Murphy on the Westchester Rising Radio Show Thursday’s from 10-11 a.m. On WVOX 1460 AM or download the SIMPLE RADIO app for free from the APP STORE.
