Politics on the Hudson

Westchester County Legislature candidate Carmen Gomez Goldberg got endorsements this past weekend from two of her fellow Republicans — Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone and former Gov. George Pataki.

Gomez Goldberg is running for the legislature’s 17th District in southwest Yonkers, which is currently held by county Legislator Jose Alvarado, a Democrat who lost his party’s primary election to Virginia Perez.

Pataki called her a friend who he got to know when he was governor.

“She has a unique ability to handle problems diplomatically and effectively — one person at a time — one issue at a time. She is a consensus builder whose only objective is to get what her community needs resolved. With Carmen’s experience I have no doubt that she can and will persuade her colleagues to stop out of control spending, find a better way to streamline government and make it more efficient and accountable to the people,” Pataki said in a statement.

Amicone said Gomez Goldberg has been a friend and supporter.

“Carmen is passionate, honest and has the experience needed to serve the people of all Westchester County,” Amicone said in the statement. “What District 17 of Yonkers and Westchester County needs is an experienced professional who has lived, worked and is invested in this community.”

Virginia Perez declared victory today in her Democratic primary contest against County Legislator Jose Alvarado, who represents the 17th District on the Westchester County Legislature.

“It is a terrific victory for the people of our district,” Perez said in a press release issued earlier today.  “When we started several months ago few people gave us a chance against a long time incumbent supported by the party machine. But we had a message, and that message was that I would listen to the people of the district. That their concerns would be my concerns.  That their voices would be my voice in White Plains. I told them that I would be there for them. In return they came to the polls for me, and I am very grateful for the support of each and every person who voted for me.”

The race was too close to call Tuesday night because of an incomplete count, which was updated late yesterday.

Unofficial returns last night showed Perez with 932 votes and Alvarado with 800.

Perez will face Alvarado again in November because Alvarado has two minor party lines. Republican Carmen Gomez Goldberg will also be on the November ballot.

Mount Vernon’s mayor’s race is still unresolved as of Thursday afternoon, according to the elections officials and the leading candidates.

With 18 of 76 district still unreported, Comptroller Maureen Walker led former Mayor Ernest Davis by 121 votes in the Democratic primary.

Elections Commissioner Douglas Colety said Board of Elections staffers began unsealing the voting machines Thursday and uploading the voting information for a preliminary tabulation.

As of this afternoon, the complete voting data had not been posted on the Board of Elections’ website.

An attorney for Mount Vernon Comptroller Maureen Walker filed papers in court Wednesday seeking to participate in the recount.

Walker and Davis, or their attorneys, are expected to appear in the state Supreme Court on Friday at 10 a.m. before Justice Joan B. Lefkowitz to discuss the recount plan.

Mayoral candidate Robert Flower offered his congratulations today to Assemblyman Mike Spano for his apparent win in the Democratic mayoral primary last night.

Here’s part of the statement Flower issued:

Democratic Mayoral candidate Bob Flower has personally spoken with his opponents, Mike Spano and Chuck Lesnick, to congratulate them on their honorable campaigns and to wish Spano success as the party’s candidate in the November election.

“I wish Mike and Chuck good luck in all their political endeavors,” Dr. Flower said.  “And I thank my staff and the community leaders who assisted my campaign for their hard work.

“While my vote numbers fell well below my projections, our two other campaign objectives seem to be falling in place and promising a better Yonkers,” he added.

These objectives are recognition and potential adaptation of innovative fiscal and economic programs, as well as the replacement of the current system of governance in Yonkers with a “mission first and people first” model rather than “career first” focusing.

Symra Brandon, chair of the Yonkers Democratic Committee, said today that last night’s returns showing three of the party’s four endorsed candidates behind the top vote-getters is not a reversal for the committee.

Party-endorsed candidates Christopher Johnson and Dennis Robertson for the City Council’s First and Third Districts and county Legislator Jose Alvarado in the 17th legislative district were all in second place in last night’s initial returns, which varied from 62 to 79 percent of election districts reporting.

“I wouldn’t use the word embarrassing. We have one strong candidate and the numbers are still out,” said Brandon, noting party-endorsed Assemblyman Mike Spano’s clear numerical advantage in the Democratic mayoral primary.

Brandon said that even if her committee’s endorsed candidates don’t pull ahead, the party will welcome the candidates that prevail.

“You challenge the establishment, you win it and the establishment works with you,” said Brandon, adding that voter turnout in her party’s races was very low. “We coalesce around those people who come out of the primary. We’ll just move ahead and continue our job to win. It’s part of the democratic process.”

Yonkers Councilwoman Patricia McDow, D-1st District, issued an email this afternoon reminding her constituents to vote in the primary election tomorrow.

She then listed the Democratic party’s endorsed candidates—and no one else. Here is a screen shot of the email she released.

For the record, there are 19 candidates competing in tomorrows’ Democratic and Republican primaries for mayor, City Council and county legislature.

The candidates are:

Mayor

Carlo Calvi-R

Robert Flower-D

Chuck Lesnick-D

Richard Martinelli-R

John Murtagh-R

Mike Spano-D

City Council 1st District

Mark Hynes-D

Christopher Johnson-D

Larry Sykes-D

City Council 3rd District

Jay Bryant-R

Michael Meyer-R

Dennis Robertson-D

Michael Rotanelli-D

Michael Sabatino-D

City Council 5th District

Mike Breen-R

Stephen Cerrato-R

Joe Crotty-R

County Legislature District 17

Jose Alvarado-D

Virginia Perez-D

UPDATE: Two hours after McDow sent out her email about the Democrats’ endorsed candidates and an hour after Politics on the Hudson noted the e-blast, McDow’s office sent out an email listing some of the Republicans’ endorsed candidates.

UPDATE #2: By 4:55 p.m. McDow sent out an email recalling her previous communications. “They were sent in error,” her email stated.

The Yonkers Council of PTAs announced a nonpartisan campaign to raise education issues awareness leading up to the November election.

The “We Vote” campaign encourages supporters to put up lawn signs saying “We Vote! Education #1, Our Children Deserve Better!”

Their press release stated:

The Yonkers Public Schools have been drastically cut once again in an annual budget battle that has left the schools without 241 certified teachers this year on top of the enormous cuts from last year and previous years. Our schools are left with over crowded classrooms, only 2 guidance counselors per High school, half day Pre Kindergarten, no elementary libraries or instrumental music and limited on secondary level, and modified or Junior Varsity sports and limited Varsity sports. This annual budget battle must stop!

Our city has turned a corner. Candidates are talking about Education. However, PTA believes they need to know that this MUST be their highest priority and they must hold firm to campaign promises. With over 26,000 children using our schools, we have become recognized as a political force with issues that MUST be addressed. Our parents and alumni are ready to vote in the September primary for the strongest pro public education candidate.

The donation for the signs is $5 and they are available from Kelly Chiarella 914-438-8694 or at the YCPTA’s Facebook page.

Last month when The Journal News published its round-up of the Yonkers City Council’s Third District primary election races we could not contact Republican candidate Michael Meyer, who called shortly after the story ran.

Meyer, 44, an art dealer, is a lifelong Yonkers resident who is married with three young children; two of them attend Sacred Heart Grade School. He will face Jay Bryant in the Sept. 13 Republican primary.

Meyer has never held an elected office and his community involvement includes coaching baseball and football for the North Yonkers Boys Club. That’s one of the reasons he’s running.

“I watch the gangs recruit the sixth, seventh and eighth graders right off the football field,” said Meyer, adding that there needs to be a greater police presence in his district’s streets to curb car break-ins.

“Each little area in the city of Yonkers has its own business district and there shoud be a policeman walking around,” Meyer said.

High taxes are another reason Meyer seeks a council seat. He said the city needs to evaluate all its programs and eliminate or change the programs that aren’t working.

He opposes “hostage taxes” like the city’s real estate transfer tax and “tax scams” like the red-light cameras that have been installed at intersections around the city.

“We actually have cameras watching us, but not the criminals,” he said.

Incumbent Councilwoman Joan Gronowski is not seeking reelection and a City Councilman is paid $37,905 annually.

East Yonkers’ Longvale Homeowners Association will hold a meeting on Saturday at 4 p.m. at the corner of Millard & Meadow West to discuss the flooding from Tropical Storm Irene.

The storm flooded about 25 homes’ basements in the area, as well as the 900 and 1000 Palmer Rd.

Yonkers City Council Fifth District candidate Mike Breen, the Republican party’s pick in the Sept. 13 Republican primary election, had eight to nine feet of water in his basement and today he said he’ll attend.

Breen said the area was devastated by a flood four years ago and no action was taken to prevent Irene’s flooding. Breen blamed new development at Ridge Hill.

“Something changed four years ago. That’s when they cleared Ridge Hill,” Breen said this morning. All that water is coming down.”

In a press release on the flooding that Breen issued last week, he called for dredging of  Crestwood Lake, Bronxville Lake and the Sprain Brook.

“There should also be an inspection of retaining walls constructed south of Palmer Road,” Breen stated in his press release. “The wall protecting the Sprain Brook Parkway is significantly higher than the one that should be protecting 900 Palmer and Brooklands residents, and that shorter wall is sending flood waters the wrong way. The question is, Why do they prefer protecting parkways over peoples’ homes?”

Assemblyman Mike Spano, D-Yonkers, announced today that he will receive a mayoral endorsement at 12:30 p.m. from the Black Democrats of Westchester and the Hispanic Democrats of Westchester at the steps of Yonkers City Hall.

Spano, the Democratic-backed candidate, faces a challenge in the Sept. 13 primary election from Robert Flower and City Council President Chuck Lesnick.

“We are excited to join Mike Spano here today to endorse his candidacy for mayor,” said David Ford, Chairman of the Black Democrats of Westchester. “Mike’s commitment to protecting and improving our communities is exactly what is needed in Yonkers.”

Jose Roman, Vice Chair of the Hispanic Democrats of Westchester said, “Mike represents a new way of addressing the issues facing Yonkers. We believe his approach to providing for quality education, fiscal stability and local job creation will lay a new foundation for growth in Yonkers.”

In addition to their endorsement of Mike Spano for Mayor, the two organizations also announced their endorsement of Jose Alvarado for County Legislator in the 17th Legislative District. Both the Black and Hispanic Democrats of Westchester expressed their support for Alvarado’s continued advocacy on behalf of the residents in his district, Spano’s press release stated.