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The outline, which includes no cuts to city or school positions, doesn’t lead Yonkers out of the fiscal woods, Spano said, but it is a step in the right direction.
“This is a fair and honest budget – staying within the state-mandated tax cap, setting the stage to restore the Yonkers Public Schools and making smart investments that provide better services and increased revenue to support our fiscal future,” he said.
As part of Spano’s spending plan, presented inside a room packed with city officials, the average Yonkers homeowner would see their tax bill increase by $142.
Included is a dedication of nearly $530 million to city schools, an increase of $17 million from the current year. The additional funding will help restore various positions within the district, including pupil support.
Spano said the city is also working with the Board of Education to restore various sports programs and negotiating with state officials to secure additional money for the full-day pre-kindergarten program.
“It’s not exactly where we want to be,” Spano said. “We are trying to do more but in the confines of the situation we are in.”
Superintendent of Schools Bernard Pierorazio said the district going to review the numbers before returning to the mayor with recommendations.
“We do appreciate the fact the budget has been increased,” he said. “But I would be remiss if I didn’t say that we wanted additional monies to restore many of the programs that we do have.”
Apart from schools, the remaining $461 million will be dedicated towards the municipal operating budget, a one percent increase from the current year. Spano said he hopes to create a few select positions within City Hall, including an IT department.
Also included is the restoration of Sunday service for the public libraries as well as improvements in computers and books.
“The restoration included in the budget will lessen our reliance on costly outsourcing, save millions in the future and provide for more accurate, effective and timely city services,” he said.
In order to bridge a projected $86 million budget gap, the mayor's proposal would, among other things, use the state’s pension smoothing plan to defer $22 million in pension costs. In addition, Spano has proposed the city and the Board of Education tap into their fund balances, utilizing a total of $39 million.
He said the situation wasn’t ideal, but it was necessary.
“It took Yonkers decades to get to this point of fiscal stress and unfortunately, like many cities around the state, it will take some years to get out,” he said.
Spano’s spending plan will now be reviewed by the City Council, which must approve a budget by June 1. The 2014 fiscal year budget will take effect a month later.
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