Analysis: Yonkers Mayor Amicone Continues to Play the Blame Game By HEZI ARIS
Yonkers Mayor Amicone addressed Assemblymen Mike Spano. J. Gary Pretlow, and Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins by letter admonishing them with regard to their letter of July 21, 2011, to Governor Andrew Cuomo, in which they requested discretionary funding for pre-kindergarten (Pre-K) and sports programs to benefit the Yonkers Public School District. Mayor Amicone admonished the three most prominent members of the Albany Delegation in his letter o them dated July 25, 2011
Mayor Amicone's seething verbal dressing down of the Albany Delegation asserts that Yonkers Board of Education (YBoE) Superintendent Bernard Pierorazio informed him that neither he nor the Board of Education Trustees, appointed to the board by Mayor Amicone, were consulted prior to the Albany Delegation addressing Governor Cuomo. Mayor Amicone’s tirade grew to greater heights of termerity when Mayor Amicone suggested the Albany Delegation is ignorant of the needed resources required by the YPS. His harangue continued when he stated further that he has implored them to comprehend that the YPS are desperately in need of and deserving to receive a fair share of education funding. Mayor Amicone escalated his contention that the Albany Delegation had acted on their own rather than having acted in unison and by his implied direction, especially in their communication with Governor Cuomo.
Mayor Amicone continued his verbal assault asserting that the Albany Delegation egregiously mischaracterized the cause of the financial crisis facing the YPS. He cast his finger of blame primarily upon the draconian cuts to education funding in the New York State budget. Never once does he look inwardly at his administration’s inability to earn any credence to the arguments with which he continued to blame the Albany delegation. Mayor Amicone’s tirade is a wild display of personal frustration with his own inability to lead the Albany Delegation under his aegis. There is no passion in his written tongue lashing of the Albany delegation's credible conduct on behalf of Yonkersites. Were the Albany Delegation conducting themselves anathema to his concepts, Mayor Amicone best look into a mirror, and reflect on blaming himself for his inability to convince anyone of the integrity of his argument.
Former Mayor John Spencer verbalized the allegedly unfair funding formula that short-changes the YPS District. Phil Amicone served the Spencer Adminisration as its deputy mayor for eight years before acceding to the office of mayor for the next 7½ years. Many in Yonkers gravitated to Mayor Spencer’s plausible concept of the disparate funding formula as it related to the funding of the YPS. Yet Mayor Amicone was not as enamored by his predecessor’s argument. Mayor Amicone dropped the argument for over three years time. In order to deflect possible blame by Yonkersites of his inability to grow the economy to manage the growing student population, Mayor Amicone dusted off Mayor Spencer’s concept and flogged the Albany Delegation whenever his financial resources placed his leadership qualities at issue. Mayor Amicone’s offense blasted the Albany Delegation without retort by them.
Never once did Mayor Amicone or Superintendent Pierorazio promote how to right what they assert is the unfair funding formula under which Yonkers has suffered financially. The Amicone Administration has not challenged the so-called funding formula. Lawsuits once challenging Albany’s funding formula were initiated and then withdrawn. The legal undertaking cost the YboE over $2 million yet have not been returned to the YBoE coffers. The cost of enticing a minor baseball league to play in a yet to be built baseball stadium cost $670,000 take from the coffers of the YBoE but not yet returned. There are many similar anomalies. None will be investigated; no wrongdoings will be discovered. It is these cover-ups and others rarely discussed that engage Yonkersites in a soap opera like saga of deception.
Were Mayor Amicone concerned about the YPS student, he would have planned corrective measures. He did not. Mayor Amicone prefers to point at others for his failures because he does not possess the intestinal fortitude to deal with the adversity and calamity of his almost 16 years of ineptitude and failure. Yonkers will soon be rid of this inept mayor.
Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins was asked to comment on Mayor Amicone’s undeserved albeit accusatory letter of her. She wrote the following statement:
“There are currently many issues and challenges facing the Yonkers Public School District that I am aware of and continue to work to address at the State level, stated Senator Stewart-Cousins. “The letter to the Governor is just one of a myriad of letters, legislation, requests, and initiatives we, individually and as a delegation, have put forth to help Yonkers and the school district. We all continue the fight to appropriately address the varied needs of the 26,000 students served by the district. As a matter of course, and especially during these difficult fiscal times, we better serve the people when we work together. The letter and our efforts to date demonstrate that, as legislators, we will continue to fight in every way and on all fronts to help Yonkers' schools. To that end, I look forward to working with the Mayor-- for the childrens' sake,” concluded Senator Stewart-Cousins.
Assemblyman Mike Spano’s office was asked to comment over Mayor Amicone’s letter. A response will be posted if/when received. Assemblyman Pretlow was not asked for comment because he has only once in 11 years responded to a question of him by this reporter and that was only based on a face to face confrontation in the City of Mount Vernon.
Read the Mayor’s letter herein and the Albany Delegation’s letter addressed to New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo. Download Letter from Mayor Amicone re Funding for Pre-K and Sports Programs 7-25-11
Polititions...This country needs a do-over!!!! Westchester in the forfront ..NY state FIRST!! Congress should be in jail.....Mutiny I say!!
Posted by: FED UP | July 27, 2011 at 22:48
This is way off base. Amicone has mismanaged the schools that is true, but it is well documented that Albany has shortchanged Yonkers for years. Furthermore our "delegation" is a bunch of impotent boobs with little influence to get things done.
Pretlow: How many people does he represent in Yonkers? 300? Does he really care about us? What has been his deportment when the Yonkers delegation has gone to Albany? Rude and generally obscene.
Stewart-Cousins; junior democratic Senator in a Republican controlled Senate. I.e. impotent. More concerned with her scarf collection than children.
Spano: King of the panderers. He learned from the best: Don Nick. Any "power" he has is from whatever Shelly Silver lets him have. Since he is a turncoat Republican and not trustworthy, not much.
Winken, Blinken and Nod can barely get gas money to get up to Albany, no less get money to keep the Yonkers schools going.
I think one of them wants to be Mayor. If that happens we will have an even MORE junior ASSemblymen with even less seniority, who will bring LESS money to Yonkers (not that less than almost zero is that big a deal).
Nice.
Posted by: anon | July 27, 2011 at 23:58
Hezi, you need to check out the NYSED web and the school report card for the YPS district. Yonkers has never served more than 1500 prek students so why is the mayor looking to increase the classrooms to 1600. Also, if you check the 2005-2006 NYSED district report card the district population was higher than 2009-2010. Our school population dropped after 2005 by close to 1200 students. This mayor has to stop. Albany and the NYSED recognize the farce of the mayor and the superintendent are trying to perpetuate .
Posted by: !!!!!!!!! | July 27, 2011 at 23:59
This Mayor must be having a meltdown. Cuomo is getting things done, like them or not. If this delegation wants to speak on our behalf, then let them.
If they are sucessful, wonderful, if not, we are no worse off. Prices and taxes are rising everywhere. People are hurting and angry. Why not at least try???
Posted by: Onestlee | July 28, 2011 at 00:25
hey anon at 11:58...why don't you direct your beacon of light at the local government in Yonkers which continues to spend more than it takes in...funding formula has been skewed for decades....it doesn't take a rocket scientist to recognize that at a local level and stop giving the store away. Just like there's always room for jello, there's always room for another second floor flunky at Yonkers city hall. But, that would have required honesty on your part. Stop blaming the dog for eating your homework.
Posted by: Fakes, Phonies and Frauds | July 28, 2011 at 07:08
Why doesn't Lorraine "where's my envelope" Lopez teach a class or two?
Posted by: 8M$LOSER | July 28, 2011 at 07:58
Um I dont get it, The delegation requested more money for the yonkers schools and the mayor is mad over it?? what am i missing. also, great event for mike spano tues night, well over 300 ppl!!
Posted by: think mayor lost it | July 28, 2011 at 08:27
I don't recall Spencer/Amicone complaining when Nick Spano voted with the LI and upstate members of his party to shortchange Yonkers year after year. And he was the 3rd most powerful member of his party at the time Spencer was mayor.
Hey Jack - what party was/is Nick in?
Posted by: Dork Dorkster | July 28, 2011 at 11:44
So the delegation didn't consult with King Philip?
Good.
And why should they? He never consults with them.
This idiot of a Mayor actually thinks that the world begins and ends with him...and that is the root of the real problem.
As I have written many times, Phil Amicone is a total disaster as a Mayor. His "my way or the highway" attitude turned people off right from the beginning and he hasn't been able to accomplish anything because of it.
So now, the Albany delegation is wrong for trying to get some money for Yonkers?
Incredible.
Thank God for term limits and thank God this Administration is coming to an end.
Posted by: Tired of it All | July 28, 2011 at 11:58
Who the hell does Amicone think he is?
Elected state officials are supposed to kneel before him before they reach out to the Governor for assistance? They must take their marching orders from him or else sit on the sidelines?
This guys is FUCKING CRAZY!!!
I agree with the above poster that we should all thank God for term limits...the one and only good thing Murtagh ever had his hands in. And thank God he is being term-limited too.
Posted by: 628 HATES amicone | July 28, 2011 at 12:55
THIS ARTICLE SUMS UP BLAMICONES WHOLE TERM IN OFFICE, ONE OF NASTINESS, LIES AND DECEIT. THERE IS NOT ONE POSITIVE THING ONE COULD SAY ABOUT HIS TERMS. HE HAS CONSTANTLY RAISED TAXES, GIVEN THE STORE AWAY TO THE DEVELOPERS, AND GAVE ALL UNIONS, EXCEPT THE YFT WHAT THEY WANTED (I'M NO YFT FAN).
HE IS A DISGRACE, AND WHERE ARE THE SO-CALLED COMMUNITY GROUPS AND THE OUTRAGE OVER TAXES, AHEM, THEY ARE HIS APOLOGISTS, SADLY AND TROLLS FOR HIS AGENDA. THIS PLACE IS *UCKED, THE LATEST IS THE SCAM TO TAKE MORE LOCAL TAXES BACK TO MAY FROM THE WORKERS.
ISN'T THERE ANYONE IN YONKERS THAT CAN SUE THIS BASTARD? I HOPE KARMA COMES AROUND HIS WAY!!!
Posted by: IT'S NUTS | July 28, 2011 at 14:56
yeah, and his boy Murtagh says he wants to continue the mayor's work. ugh....God help us if he wins.
Posted by: Fakes, Phonies and Frauds | July 28, 2011 at 15:10
why do we care what this Mayor thinks anymore? He responds like a child. He has behaved as Mayor of the 4th Largest City as a child and the state knows it.
Posted by: im just sayin' | July 28, 2011 at 17:11
we want mike!!!! we want mike!!!!
Posted by: make mayor mike | July 28, 2011 at 17:20
Hezi, rumor in City Haul has it that Pigano is getting sued again, this time for a racial slur. Last time it was about "no women as long as I am Commisioner". Whats up with Amicronie keeping him there. Who pays for defending this stupidity, the taxpayers again??
Posted by: GUS | July 29, 2011 at 09:02
Know why the slogan is all ablot "mike" ?
Because the last name SPANO is damaged goods!!
Posted by: Times up | July 29, 2011 at 15:35
Waiting for a comment from Mikey? I just saw him at Staples buying a big box of crayons. You should get it he said when the little hand is on 4 and the big hand touches the 6.
Posted by: Just Asking | July 30, 2011 at 06:32
lame duch amicone should be ignored end of story
Posted by: bad joke | July 31, 2011 at 20:32
YOU ARE ALL LOSERS THAT NEED 2 GET OUT OF YONKERS FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE .. YOU ARE ALL REAL TOUGH BEHIND A COMPUTER .. KEEP GETTING DRUNK AT THE AMACASSIN CLUB AND WRITING FALSE THINGS ON HERE ... LOOK AT EVERYONE THAT HAS BEEN GETTING HIRED FOR THE DPW IT IS ALL CONNECTIONS TO THE AMACASSIN CLUB OR AMICONE .. YOU ARE ALL A BUNCH OF INTERNET GANGSTERS!
Posted by: YONKERS THUG | August 02, 2011 at 18:00