Politics on the Hudson

Advance word on Mayor Phil Amicone’s State of the City speech delivered tonight was glum. Given a projected budget gap for the city and school district topping $100 million, it’s hard to imagine othewise. 

The speech was interrupted by applause 10 times. That’s not many for a speech that went on for 16 pages or nearly 40 minutes. Convention calls for a State of (fill in your favorite government level) address to be packed with so many accomplishments, real or imagined, that an audience interrupts the speaker several times every page. Amicone’s speech produced only one outburst in its first five pages.

That came from a line espousing gritty determination in the face of difficult times. “Every man, woman and child in this city should know that Yonkers has survived tougher times and we will survive and emerge stronger from these tough times as well,” Amicone said.  “We won’t give up on our city of Yonkers.”

Come back a little later. I hope to post some reaction to the speech after I write a fuller account on the address to appear tomorrow in The Journal News and LoHud.com.