Yonkers budget shortfall is no surprise
Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano introduces members of the newly appointed Yonkers Commission of Inquiry on Finances at a press conference at City Hall. (April 5, 2012) Credit: Nancy Siesel
It should come as no surprise that Yonker’s budget shortfall isn't going anywhere, despite efforts to curb spending. In fact, Mayor Mike Spano’s comments this week sound awfully familiar.
The city is still facing an estimated $86 million shortfall, according to reports, and the mayor on Monday said the situation is only getting more bleak in the years to come.
Even though the city cut spending and raised taxes in its $958 million budget that was approved less than a month ago, there are substantial growing holes: over the next four years the gap is estimated at $428 million.
Spano again said that overtime and salaries of new police and fire hires had to be trimmed and that abusive sick time had to be cut back. And he is right that the city must “take accountability, stop the gimmicks and make the very difficult choices necessary to move this City forward.”
We’ve heard this before and we’ve also heard what the unions had to say. But until some action is taken on recurring expenses, we’re going to hear this same cry again and again.
