VIDEO: First on 12 - Chuck Lesnick For Mayor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKibrWZdU8I

VIDEO: Chuck Lesnick Announces Candidacy For Mayor Of Yonkers

Chuck Lesnick, has been a Democratic leader on City Council during at least the last two terms of Republican Phil Amicone‘s mayorships. 

Today he has announced that he will be running for Mayor. 

This doesn’t come as a surprise to nearly anyone.

VIDEO: New York Assemblyman Mike Spano Says Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone Is A Big Spender

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCrtnVL3uj8

Yonkers Firehouse Station 8 Closed

Mayor Phil Amicone has decided to close Station 8, leaving a densely populated "corner" of the fourth largest city in New York State virtually unprotected for an extra few minutes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CobWm1zwW2Q

Bronx River Parkway Lane Closures December 1st in Mt. Vernon and Yonkers

The northbound center lane of the Bronx River Parkway between Wakefield Avenue and Oak Street will be
closed on Monday, December 1 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This closure is due to work performed as part of the Yonkers Avenue ramp construction project. A single lane will be open on the parkway in this vicinity during the above hours as the northbound right lane of the parkway
between Wakefield Avenue and Oak Street is currently closed.   

Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes to avoid delays.  

For additional information, contact Westchester County Department of Public Works, Traffic
Division at (914) 995-2555. 

Yonkers Thanksgiving Holiday Closures & Parking Regulations

Following are public notices for the Thanksgiving Day
holiday. Please note that alternate side and meter parking WILL be in effect on
Friday, November 28.

Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27

All city offices will be closed to the public. Alternate
side and meter parking will be SUSPENDED all day.

Friday, November 28

All city offices will be open to the public. Alternate side
and meter parking WILL be in effect.

Yonkers Real Estate Committee Meeting Slated for Tuesday, November 25, 2008

YONKERS, NY — A Yonkers Real Estate Committee Meeting has been scheduled
for Tuesday, November 25, 2008, at 6:00 pm, in the Council Chambers, City Hall, 4th Floor.

The following items will be on the Agenda:

1) Resolution – authorizing the implementation and funding in the first instance 100% of the federal aid and state Marchiselli Program aid eligible Costs of a transportation federal aid project and approaching funds therefore.

2) Update on Warburton Avenue Rezoning.

3) Any additional items that may properly come before this Committee.

Chuck Lesnick, Council President, and Patricia D. McDow, Councilmember,
are Co-chair of the Real Estate Committee.

Legislation and Codes Committee Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Legislation and Codes Committee Meeting has been scheduled by Majority Leader and Committee Chair Sandy Annabi, at 6:30 PM in the Council Conference Room, City Hall, 4th floor.

The following item(s) will be on the Agenda:

Administration: General
Ordinance – Amending Chapter 109 of the Code, also known as Vehicles and
Traffic, regarding creation of new zones where parking meters will be in force
until 10:00 pm.

McDow: General
Ordinance – Amending Chapter 66 of the Code of the City of Yonkers,
entitled "Noise Management Plan Ordinance" is hereby added, in its
entirety, by the following this ordinance, to read as follows:  Article II
– General Provisions Section 66-2 – Legislative Findings and
Determination. 

Lesnick: General Ordinance
– Local Law amending Chapter 66 entitled "Noise" by adding a new
subsection K of 66-6.

Yonkers Community Development Agency Board Meeting

YONKERS, NY The Yonkers Community Development Agency Board
Meeting will take place on Thursday, November 20, 2008, from 4:00 pm through
5:00 pm at the Mayor’s Conference/ Reception Room – City Hall, 40 South Broadway,
2nd Floor, Yonkers, NY 10701.

Campaign Finance Reform Resolution By Councilmember Joan Gronowski

 WHEREAS, there have been numerous successful efforts during the past several decades to affect Campaign Finance Reform in an attempt to modify the influence of money in politics and in political campaigns; and

WHEREAS, these reform measures have included improved disclosure, tougher enforcement, voluntary public financing of elections and lowering the amount of campaign contributions; and,
 WHEREAS, limiting campaign contributions brings many more people into the election process, since candidates are forced to reach out to a broader number of “real voters” and also frees elected officials, candidates and their campaigns from undue influences, lessening the public perception that political favors are often the result of large political contributions

NOW, THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED, that the Code of the City of Yonkers, New York, Chapter 11,
entitled “Campaign Finance Reform”, be amended with the following conditions, to apply for all elected officials and candidates, except where noted otherwise, for any public office in the City of

Yonkers in any primary, general or special election: 

• No
  candidate for Mayor or City Council shall accept or receive a campaign
  contribution from any individual, corporation or unincorporated
  association, of more that Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) per election
  period.
  • Contributions
    include monies, loans, debts incurred, property-in-kind, or things having
    a monetary value incurred or received by a candidate or his agent or
    other person on behalf of the candidate for use in advocating or
    influencing the election of the candidate.

• Candidates
  for office shall be prohibited from receiving any campaign contributions
  from the following:
  • Any
    individual or business entity receiving any manor of government contract
    for services of any kind, has submitted a bid or proposal, or who is
    involved in any business relationship with the City of Yonkers, or who is
    receiving or seeks to receive funds from the city or a grant distributed
    by the city from federal, state or other sources;
  • All
    corporations, developers, contractors, political action committees
    (PACs), labor organizations and other entities which face a substantial
    likelihood of having matters under consideration by the City of Yonkers;
  • Members
    of any mayoral or city council appointed board, commission, or committee;

• Taxpayer-financed
  mailings by incumbents should be banned during the period of six months
  prior to general election and primary, if applicable. Any pertinent
  information required for public consumption can be disseminated by the
  appropriate department head involved, not by the political candidate and
  without the incumbent political candidate’s name being used in the
  notification.

NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the acceptance by any candidate or elected
official, of a campaign contribution in excess of $100 shall create a conflict
of interest with regard to that elected official’s vote on any issue or matter
coming before the legislative and or executive branches involving a benefit to
the contributing; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
that all challenging candidates for public office who have successfully
met the criteria set forth by the Westchester County Board of Elections and who
are assured placement on a ballot for a primary, general or special election,
shall be allowed to post their issues on the city’s websites, cable access
channel and public access channels, to be afforded the same opportunity
provided to incumbent candidates, who have unlimited access to these taxpayer
funded media, and which amounts to a substantial financial benefit in a
campaign. 

Submitted to Rules –

November 18, 2008