Yonkers Council opens up possibility of fourth Spano term

Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano may have the opportunity to run for a fourth term if he so chooses, based on a vote at its nighttime Nov. 23 meeting by the Yonkers City Council. Spano is now serving in his third four-term term.

In a split vote, four in favor and three opposed, the council approved extending term limits for both the mayor and council members. After agreeing to allow additional terms for officeholders, the council unanimously rejected a motion to reconsider the action it had just taken.

However, the issue of term limits could be presented to Yonkers voters in the form of a referendum, giving them the opportunity to reverse the council’s action, and one of the council members forecast that voters will have the chance to vote on the issue.

The council meeting became boisterous at times when members of the audience loudly reacted to some of the comments made by council members as well a members of the public who spoke both for and against the term limits extension.

Lori Bueti, a Yonkers resident, said, “Why would anyone who is mayor of this city or anyone else who is in office right now want to continuously run again and again? Do the words career politician mean anything to you? Exactly what could you offer Yonkers after being in office for the past 12 years? It’s the same old thing year after year and we continuously see the same faces running for office.”

Resident Brian Walsh said, “Extending the term limits would benefit everyone in the city. It’s no easy task by the mayor of his executives, what they’re doing, and I think giving them more time to do and to benefit Yonkers would be the best thing for the city.”

Claudia Espinosa, a Democratic Party District Leader, expressed support for the legislation to extend the term limits.

“The progress is evident and we as a city cannot afford to lose momentum,” Espinosa said. “Our Congress, our Senate, our Assembly, they don’t have term limits so why not even the playing field?”

Council Member Anthony Merante, who voted against the extension, said, “I want to thank the speakers that came out; a very intelligent city we have here. We had plenty of time to put this as a referendum for the people. Why didn’t we do it? The people voted term limits and the people should vote to change term limits.”

Merante said that “one way or another” there would be  referendum presented to voters next year that would offer them the opportunity to rescind or ratify the term limits extension that was adopted.