This year has been very difficult for the City of Yonkers and for the State of New York. In the wake of a multi-million dollar deficit crisis, Mayor Amicone has proposed layoffs and drastic cuts in services in order to close the City's budget gap. We have made a commitment to the residents of Yonkers that we would fight to try to avoid his doomsday scenario. Today we have reached a budget agreement that will make this a reality.
The agreement will make significant cuts in State spending across the board which are necessary to close the deficit and bring government spending in line with what taxpayers can afford. Equally as important, it provides an additional $21 million in non-recurring, municipal spin-up aid, which the Mayor has said will help the City manage its budget crisis, and gives him the opportunity to keep our police on the streets, our firehouses open and to provide the quality of life services that residents depend on.
"After a relentless effort by the Yonkers Delegation to secure additional funding for the City of Yonkers in the State budget agreement, the Senate, Assembly and Governor have agreed to allocate this additional $21 million in Aid and Incentives to Municipalities (AIM) spin-up aid for Yonkers in this time of severe fiscal crisis in our City," said Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins
(D/WF-35th District). "At this time, when there is literally no 'good' news and everybody needs 'more', our Senate Conference Leader John Sampson, the Governor and the Speaker, all understood the urgency of our fight for additional funding for Yonkers, as our City literally teeters on the brink of financial disaster."
“We are amidst a budgetary crisis that we all recognize. We need to continue to work together to get through this. This is a great step in restoring what our City needs to strive and give our residents the quality of life and services they deserve,” said Assemblyman Mike Spano (D-93rd District).
"Every budget season we face tough decisions in Albany and each year I stand committed to making sure that the voices and concerns of Yonkers' residents are heard loud and clear in the Capitol. This year we successfully fought to ensure that the hard-earned tax-payer dollars of Yonkers residents were protected and secured," said State Senator and Deputy Majority Leader Jeff Klein (D-Bronx/Westchester).
“In these difficult times, we, as a delegation, banded together to deliver additional funding for the City of Yonkers. My colleagues and I remain totally committed to the quality of life in Yonkers,” said Assemblyman Pretlow (D-87th District).
"In an extremely difficult budget year, the Delegation has continued its strong commitment to the City of Yonkers," said Assemblyman Brodsky (D-92nd District).
It has known for many months that there would be tough choices in this budget. However, the State Legislative Delegation remained committed to making sure that despite those difficult choices, the State does its utmost to provide for the City of Yonkers. Together, the Delegation has done everything humanly possible to secure every last dollar, and Yonkers will emerge from this budget process, again, as the City that received the most, because of these efforts.
