Politics on the Hudson

Former Yonkers Councilman John Murtagh announced today that he is joining the White Plains law firm Gaines, Gruner, Ponzini & Novick as a senior counsel.

Murtagh, a Republican who served two terms on the council ending last month and who waged an unsuccessful bid for Yonkers mayor last year, will focus on business and civil litigation and he will help the firm grow its municipal law and government affairs practice.

“I look forward now to helping clients not only based upon my legal background but by having spent nearly a decade on the other side of the table. My years in office have given me another perspective which, I believe, will help me advise clients living, working and doing business here in Westchester,” Murtagh said in a press release.

The $685 million Westchester’s Ridge Hill officially opened yesterday with speeches and ribbon cuttings, yet the debates over the 81-acre retail-residential complex continue in Yonkers’ politics and in the current city elections.

At a candidates forum on Monday at Sarah Lawrence College, Republican mayoral candidate and Councilman John Murtagh, who voted against Ridge Hill in the City Council, told voters that he was part of a group of residents that filed a lawsuit seeking to block Ridge Hill.

Meanwhile, Murtagh said, Democratic mayoral candidate and Assemblyman Mike Spano worked for a high-profile lobbying firm promoting Ridge Hill while Spano took a break from elected office.

At the same forum, City Council Fifth District Republican cnadidate Mike Breen also voiced his long-standing opposition to Ridge Hill and he blamed the complex for worsening flooding after Tropical Storm Irene.

Breen promised voters that he will continue to monitor unresolved Ridge Hill issues over policing and over the construction of a new firehouse to serve the complex.

The city has not yet obtained property for the firehouse.

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.”

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?”

Yonkers City Council Candidate Mike Breen announced yesterday that he will participate in a Sept. 8 candidates sponsored by the Mohegan Heights Homeowners Association.

Breen, the Republican Party’s endorsed candidate, faces a Sept. 13 primary challenge from Stephen Cerrato and Joe Crotty.

Last month Cerrato attacked Breen for not wanting to debate him and Crotty. Breen told The Journal News that he was willing to debate his opponents at an event set up by a neutral community group, not one set up by Cerrato, referring to a town hall meeting Cerrato organized earlier this summer.

The Mohegan Heights event will be held Sept. 8 from 6-9 p.m. at the Will branch of the Yonkers Public Library, 1500 Central Park Ave.

Today both Cerrato and  Crotty confirmed that they will attend. Cerrato added that more voters in the district missed out on a chance to hear from all three candidates more often because Breen questioned his event’s neutrality.

Here’s Breen’s full statement (more…)

Yonkers City Council Fifth District candidate Joe Crotty issued a statement today vowing to search for flooding solutions if elected.

Crotty is running against Mike Breen and Stephen Cerrato in the Sept. 13 Republican primary. Breen is the party-backed candidate.

“As Yonkers next councilman from the 5th District, I will work with Westchester County, state and federal officials to get something done not only regarding the Bronx River, but Saw Mill River as well,” Crotty stated. “Yonkers is sick of being under water.”

Here’s the full text of his statement (more…)

The group Community Voices Heard will hold a candidates forum focusing on the city’s west side on Aug. 29 at 6 p.m. in the second floor of the Yonkers Public Library’s Riverfront branch, 1 Larkin Center.

Invited candidates include those running for mayor and the First and Third City Council districts.

For more information call 914-751-2641.

Yonkers City Council Fifth District candidate Stephen Cerrato criticized Republican-party backed candidate Mike Breen today for not wanting to debate him and Joe Crotty before the Sept. 13 Republican primary.

In his press release, Cerrato stated that the League of Women Voters “graciously offered to conduct and moderate” a primary debate.

In fact, the league’s policy is to simply moderate a debate if another organization is willing to sponsor the event. Susan Weisfeld of the league said on Wednesday that so far none of the east Yonkers candidates have been successful in getting a sponsor.

The league will have a debate for the general election on Oct. 17 for Yonkers mayoral, Fifth District and 15th county legislative district candidates from 7-9 p.m. at Sarah Lawrence College’s Reisinger Auditorium.

Breen said he’s going door to door to meet voters, but that he would consider a debate if it were organized by a neutral community group. Breen said a town hall organized by Cerrato earlier this summer was not a neutral event.

Here’s Cerrato’s statement (more…)

Former Yonkers Councilman Dennis Robertson has re-entered the race for the council’s Third District seat despite saying that his heart wasn’t in the race after he was nominated on May 23.

Third District candidate Michael Sabatino, one of several Democrats seeking the seat, said today in a press release that he will run against Robertson in the September primary.

I am optimistic and confident that the voters of the diverse Third Council District will make the best choice in the Democratic Primary for the Democratic Candidate, and that in the end, I will be selected as the next Councilmember.

I think it’s unfortunate that Dennis Robertson – who after saying his heart was not in the race and was not going to run, does not seem to really want to serve on the Council – as he has now reentered the race one more time.

I believe that the City and our district will be well served by my commitment, experience and energy to the community. My priorities are improving the our education system,  strengthening our city with responsible development and encouraging business and job growth.

I have been honored to receive the endorsements of the Working Families Party and the Independence Party.  I look forward to the September 13 primary and the opportunity to serve.