By Dan Murphy
Mayor Mike Spano delivered his seventh State of the City address last week at the Yonkers Riverfront Library. In his address, the mayor outlined the positive accomplishments for the city over the past year, but warned about future budgetary issues that could hold back the city’s continued progress.
One of the messages and themes of Spano’s speech was Yonkers – yes, a positive message that the people of the city can succeed. “Our accomplishments and successes have outweighed any crisis we’ve experienced,” he said. “Successes that many never thought were possible – from our excelling schools and safer streets to the ongoing revitalization efforts across our city. When I reflect on these achievements, one word comes to mind – yes!
“Yes invokes feelings of change, renewal, accomplishment and optimism,” continued Spano. “We have changed the discourse in our city. The days of Yonkers being dismissed are behind us. Now, the State of Yonkers is a feeling – a feeling of transformation, a feeling of arrival, a feeling of fulfilled promises.”
Education
“We know Yonkers is a great place to raise a family, and plenty of other people know it, too, because not only are our schools adding students every year, but they grow in achievement, as well,” said Spano. “In 2012, the Yonkers Public Schools graduation rate was just 72 percent. Over the last six years, our graduation rates have improved by double digits, from 72 percent to 86 percent. For the first time a big city district has exceeded New York State’s average. That is remarkable.
“Our improved numbers can be attributed to the incredible leadership of our Superintendent of Schools Dr. Edwin Quezada, Board of Trustees, teachers, administrators, and most of all our students and parents. Another reason for this is Yonkers’ acceptance of the My Brother’s Keeper challenge. In 2016, Yonkers became one of 250 communities to accept the challenge of ensuring our young men of color graduate high school ready for college and career, to complete postsecondary education or training, and to successfully enter the workforce. In just two years, we’ve had astounding results and people are taking notice,” said Spano, who also asked for more aid from Albany to repair and replace the city’s aging schools.
“Despite the successes of our schools, we still have many battles to win. Our buildings are too old and overcrowded. You know the challenges: our schools are 4,500 seats over-capacity for a district size of 27,000 students; nine of our schools are over 100 years old; children are forced to learn in converted basements and cafeterias; many of our libraries no longer function as they were intended because they are being used as classroom space. Simply put, there remains to be a capacity and infrastructure crisis in Yonkers Schools.
“After many meetings and calls lobbying our concerns and two long legislative sessions, Albany is finally beginning to realize the crisis and has passed two bills that will help set the stage to rebuild our schools. While I appreciate it, it’s simply not enough. No legislation comes close to addressing the costs of rebuilding 38 schools, the 15 percent overcapacity and substandard conditions in which our children learn.
“The bottom line is that even with the new legislation, Yonkers alone still cannot afford to rebuild these schools. Yonkers receives just $472 per pupil while the other big cities are receiving anywhere between $900 to $3,000 per student. During this year’s legislative session, we should all be demanding an increase in the aid ratio for Yonkers. There is no reason why the state pays for 98 percent of our sister cities’ reconstruction costs, but only 70 percent of ours. We applaud what the state has done for Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, and now I am asking them again to support Yonkers. Our students cannot wait. Stop spoon-feeding us. New York, let’s rebuild these schools.” said Spano.
Economic Redevelopment
“In 2017, we began construction on nearly a dozen projects like Extell and Avalon Bay, topped off Hudson Park River Club; RXR, the largest mixed-use development in Yonkers, opened luxury projects like Rivertides, UNO and soon Modera; and the historic Boyce Thompson Center was redeveloped,” said Spano.
“Several years ago we talked about how we needed more quality affordable housing. Our public housing stock has not been refurbished since World War II. I told you then we’d invest $250 million to restore these homes. Tonight, I am proud to say promise made, promise kept. Construction is under way and in some locations completed, with the repair and renovations of every MHA unit across the city. Thank you to Governor Cuomo for making these funds available. And a special thank you to MHA’s director, Joe Schuldiner, and the MHA board for making this a reality.
“We continue to attract companies of every size. Lowe’s Home Improvement Center and well-known retail store Century 21 opened their doors. On South Broadway, our small businesses are reaching new levels of success like Mona Jeans, which started as a women’s clothing store just four years ago and now has opened a third store in the district.
“Our downtown also attracts new businesses. This year, Hudson Global, one of the world’s largest marketing and advertising agencies, will be moving into iPark, bringing 50 skilled jobs to our waterfront.
“Our hospitals continue to expand and provide life-saving and advanced care for the region. St. Joseph’s Medical Center recently opened up the Center for Advanced Wound Care. St. John’s Riverside Hospital recently opened its Health Ambulatory Center at Boyce Thompson and will soon break ground on its long-awaited emergency department expansion.
“Artist Maya Lin, known for her design of the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial in Washington, D.C, and her husband, Daniel Wolff, own the old city jail which now houses their art collection. Maya’s latest work, ‘Maya: A River is a Drawing,’ will be on view at the Hudson River museum from October to January.
“Film production in Yonkers has hit an all-time high, as well, with over 175 productions shooting here in 2017, bringing in close to $650,000 in revenue for us – the best year on record.
“With all this activity here in Yonkers comes a growing economy and most importantly, more jobs. We’ve attracted over 6,000 full- and part-time jobs to our city since 2012 – with industries such as construction, hospitality, retail, entertainment and technology. In fact, we’ve been named among the nation’s top 25 growth cities. Based on migration trends tracked by U-Haul, Yonkers beat out top locations like San Francisco, Brooklyn and Manhattan. To that, I definitely say, yes.”
Environment
“The most innovative improvements have been and will continue to be the care we give to our environment,” said Spano. “In 2017, Yonkers was among the first large cities in New York State designated a Clean Energy Community. Now we’ve been awarded a $150,000 grant to fund an electric-generating waterwheel that will be the centerpiece to Phase III of the Saw Mill River Daylighting on New Main Street. We also plan to roll out bike racks across the city and a new mobile app to keep you up to date on alternative transportation options.
“Speaking of bikes, I am very excited to announce that starting this spring, Yonkers will join the growing list of progressive cities that make dockless bike sharing available to residents and visitors. Spin and Lime Bike are partnering with us and will be placing bikes throughout the city – some of them are on display in the lobby this evening. There’s no need to return them to a permanent docking station. Want to visit a local park on a Saturday afternoon? Hop on a bike.
“We’ve made great strides in recycling efforts over the last six years. However, those efforts are sometimes thwarted by the amount of single-use plastic bags that we produce and use. On average, these bags are used for just 12 minutes, yet the impacts on our environment last for generations. Plastic bags have devastating effects on our wildlife, sewage systems and more – even the production of them emit toxic and hazardous chemicals.
“Therefore, on the recommendation of the Yonkers Green City Advisory Committee, I am proposing the Environmental Protection and Pollution Prevention Act, along with Councilmembers Sabatino and Rubbo. This legislation would require all retail stores to impose an impact fee when dispensing non-reusable bags. In a recent ‘Plastic Bag Task Force Report,’ bag fees put in place internationally resulted in a reduction in single-use plastic bags by 50 to 90 percent. Think about the potential benefits for us here. Customers at the ShopRites located in Yonkers use 300,000 to 400,000 plastic bags each week. Let’s cut that number significantly, lead by example and be the first big city in New York State to take action. Let’s rid these bags from our roadways, streams and parks. If Yonkers can lend a hand in bettering our environment by setting an example, we will make a difference.”
Public Safety
“Since 2011, Yonkers’ crime rate has gone down 34 percent, and down 9 percent just from 2016,” said Spano. “Over the last seven years, we transformed the Yonkers Police Department and our approach with the people we serve. Community policing is not just a slogan, it’s a way of life. Through Compstat, we look at crime patterns. We hit the streets, sit in neighborhood association meetings, meet with community leaders, mentor our youth and simply listen. I am proud to report that this year, Yonkers has its lowest crime rate since we began keeping statistics in the 1970s. Please join me in congratulating the fine men and women of the Yonkers Police Department.
“We also are ensuring our police force reflects the community it represents. This year, we casted a wider and more diverse net when recruiting our newest class of officers. In 2017, nearly 75 percent of those who took the Yonkers police exam were either female or minority.
“We also can say the same for our fire department. Fifty percent of our newest class of firefighters are minority while one third of them are military veterans. Combined, this latest fire class is the most diverse group of Yonkers firefighters we’ve ever had. When our police and fire departments can better reflect, and in turn, better relate to the people they serve, I think we can all say ‘yes.’”
Budget Challenges
“With achievements also come challenges, especially our annual budget,” said Spano. “We have tough decisions to make this year, ones that no mayor likes to make. Over the last six years of my administration, we’ve been frugal with our spending. We’ve instituted hiring freezes, we’ve increased revenues and we’ve merged departments. While we are narrowly approaching our constitutional taxing authority, our taxpayers are at their taxing limits, too.
“How do we fix this? I believe all signs point north to Albany. Here’s how things stand: Over the years, municipalities have taken a big hit when it comes to state funding. In 2019, Yonkers is expected to receive the same amount it’s received for the last eight years. Plus, we must remember that we, the taxpayers, pay more toward our local school district than any of the other big city taxpayers.
“On top of Yonkers contributing more to its schools, we receive less from New York State to help fund those schools when compared to our sister cities. If you look at just the last five years, Yonkers taxpayers have sent the state an additional $250 million in revenue. Today, Yonkers sends close to 25 percent more to the state in revenues than it did five years ago. Yet during that time, our state funding has remained flat. We send 25 percent more. They send 0 percent back. The math just doesn’t add up.
“We also must look at the increased revenues to New York from Yonkers’ largest employer – Empire City Casino. While an assemblyman, I was proud to support video lottery terminal machines as gaming revenue. Along with the legislation came host community funding to Yonkers’ schools. At the time in 2006, Empire City’s annual revenues were approximately $5 billion, which translated to approximately $20 million each year for our schools. No one thought it would work, but I certainly did.
“Since then, Empire City has grown exponentially – with more than $9 billion in annual revenues. While advertisers, vendors, horsemen and even New York State itself have benefitted by an increase in their share of the revenue, our share as the host community is down to $19.6 million. It’s time Albany recommit to Yonkers for its contribution to the education of our students.
“Our urban renaissance is fragile, and far from complete. Now, more than ever, we need the state and federal governments to increase their commitment to our urban centers.
“As I mentioned earlier, I believe Yonkers today invokes feelings of optimism and renewal, the feeling of ‘yes.’ Our journey isn’t over yet in Yonkers. While we have so much to do, we have so much to be proud of. You have my word and my commitment that we will continue to work together to make Yonkers’ best days stand before us. Because when we say ‘Yonkers,’ I know we all can say ‘yes,’” said Spano.
Yonkers Public Schools teacher Kaira Hassell sang the national anthem and YPS student Gloriana Montes led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.
