Spano expresses optimism for Yonkers’ future

Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano in his 2023 State of the City Address said that the state of Yonkers is “reimagined.”

“We continue to reimagine what can be for Yonkers,” Spano said. “We can reimagine the future for our students and schools; our public safety and community policing. Reimagine economic possibilities that bring more jobs, businesses and residents. Reimagine the cultural and ethnic fiber of who we are. And reimagine our quality of life and the pride we have for Yonkers and each other.”

Spano said that crime in Yonkers is down 40% and that the police department worked with the county to create a Mobile Crisis Response Team for dealing with individuals having mental health problems. He said about 60 people in Yonkers were helped during the team’s first six months of operation.

Spano also said that the Yonkers police have been working with Westhab on Project Connect, which provides services and housing for people who were living on the streets. He said the city is allocating another $1.5 million to keep the program in operation during 2023.

“The taxpayers of Yonkers can”™t keep doing it forever,” Spano said. “Homeless services are the mission of state and county governments. We”™ve shown what works here, so tonight I ask them to step up and fund this program in the future.”

Spano said that Yonkers is different from some other cities in the U.S. where headlines have been made related to police misconduct.

“Our of officers are trained to effectively improve their conflict resolution skills and expand their knowledge of cultural diversity,” Spano said in his March 30 address at the Yonkers Riverfront Library. “These programs promote accountability and encourage intervention when it comes to witnessing colleagues engaging in unethical behavior.”

Spano said that this spring, the Yonkers Police Department (YPD) will open a new Motorola AWARE facility that will be the first of its kind in New York state.

“This room will be capable of monitoring police events in real-time, receiving data from surveillance cameras, computer information systems, and even a YPD drone,” Spano said. “These technologies working together will give our police a real-time picture of crime as it happens and will allow our police to instantaneously direct resources where they are needed most. This command center represents the cutting-edge in crime fighting technology.”

Spano emphasized the important role city parks play in the daily lives of Yonkers residents and said more of the approximately 80 parks would be renovated and enhanced this year. He said that a major part of the transformation and reimagining of Yonkers has come through the development that has been going on resulting in new housing, jobs and entertainment.

“We welcomed developers instead of putting up barriers,” Spano said. “We sold off abandoned properties and repurposed them for housing, parks and schools.”

Spano highlighted the development of movie and TV production studios in the city, with more to come. He said that the city continues to support Empire City Casino in its quest to obtain a full gaming facility license from the state.

Spano announced that the Ford Motor Company soon will partner with automotive magnet programs at three Yonkers high schools to enhance student training in electric vehicles and other technical advancements. He said Yonkers students would have direct access to jobs at our local Ford dealerships.

Spano said that Yonkers continues to add affordable housing to its housing stock and is addressing climate change. He said carbon dioxide emissions from municipal buildings have been reduced by 26%.

“Through the Climate Safe Neighborhoods initiative, we are identifying heat islands, expanding climate education efforts and enacting climate resilient improvements,” Spano said. “In addition to creating open space, for us, that also means the planting of more trees, installing rubber matting in playgrounds, building shade structures at parks and increasing perennial plantings. We are even looking to enact a new ordinance requiring rooftops on all city-owned properties to be painted white, in order to lower extreme temperatures in parts of the city.”

Spano said that in a few weeks, the city will release its first-ever Climate Action Plan, designed to help make the city achieve zero-emissions by 2050. He also said the city has been investigating a new underground refuse storage and collection system, designed to for large-scale collection to replace the use of above-ground dumpsters.

“Our students”™ safety continues to be a top priority, whether it be inside or outside the classroom,” Spano said. “Starting September of this year, all 400 school buses traveling within the City of Yonkers … will be equipped with cameras to capture motorists who illegally pass them. It”™s time we punish those who choose to think of themselves over our students. If caught, that punishment includes points on their license and a fine starting at $250.”

Spano expressed pride in educational improvements by the Yonkers Public Schools, with 90% of the students graduating with Regents or Regents with Advanced Designation diplomas, about a 20% increase from a decade ago. Spano announced that vacant city-owned property near Ashburton Avenue will become the site of a new Pre-K to 8th grade community school expected to open its doors in 2026.

“I have never been more optimistic as I am now for Yonkers,” Spano said.