YONKERS CANDIDATES
Candidates for election or re-election are invited to submit statements, articles, advertisements and/or endorsements to be posted here through this year's Primary and General Elections. Email them to us here.
____________________________
Bring On the Debate: Why I'm Ready to Face Any Challenger, Any Time
By Dan D'Amico
Here's something that might surprise you: as of this posting, not a single organization has reached out to me about hosting a debate for this race. Not one. And I think voters deserve better than that, which is exactly why I made a video about it.
By Dan D'Amico
Here's something that might surprise you: as of this posting, not a single organization has reached out to me about hosting a debate for this race. Not one. And I think voters deserve better than that, which is exactly why I made a video about it.
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Exclusive — Republican NY Governor Candidate Bruce Blakeman: I’ll Be a ‘Check’ on Socialist Mayor Mamdani
by Hannah Knudsen, Breitbart, August 18, 2026
by Hannah Knudsen, Breitbart, August 18, 2026
Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) has a report card this time, Bruce Blakeman, Republican candidate for governor of New York, said during an appearance on Breitbart News Daily, explaining how his campaign differs from Republican challengers in the past and promising to serve as a “check” on socialist New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Blakeman said Lee Zeldin, who ran a solid campaign last election cycle, is a “great guy,” but he now has an advantage that Zeldin did not have four years ago: Hochul now has a track record.
“I have a big advantage over Lee Zeldin because when he ran four years ago, Kathy Hochul didn’t have a report card. She had just become governor because Cuomo had left, and she was lieutenant governor,” he said. “And right now, we are the most overtaxed state in the United States of America. We’re the most overregulated state.”
“Our electric bills are 70 percent higher than the national average. She’s the most pro-criminal governor in the United States of America,” he said, describing people as “miserable.”
“They’re unhappy under Kathy Hochul. So I’ve got that report card of hers,” Blakeman continued, explaining that he can compare her record to his as Nassau County Executive.
“And I also got my report card. I lead a county that’s larger than eight states in population. I cut 150 million dollars in taxes. I haven’t raised taxes a penny in four years. I’ve got four budget surpluses, seven bond upgrades, and U.S. News and World Report says I have the safest county in America because I hired 900 new law enforcement professionals,” Blakeman said.
“So right now I have a big advantage because I’m going to compare my report card with her report card, and as a result, people will realize that I am the one that should be leading this state. This state is number 50 in economic outlook. We’re at the very, very bottom. People are unhappy. They want a governor that will make them happy,” he stated, ensuring that he will do everything he can to keep socialist New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani at bay.
“Kathy Hochul endorsed Zoran Mandani. Zoran Mandami endorsed her. She gave him $5 billion to bail out his budget without any strings attached, without any conditions, without any requirements that he cut spending. So they’re lockstep together,” he reminded listeners, promising to serve as a “check” on the socialist leader.
“I will be a check on Zohran Mandami. Zohran Mandami is an anti-Semite. He’s anti-Christian. He’s anti-American. He’s anti-capitalism. I will be a strong governor who makes sure that he doesn’t destroy the economy of the city of New York and that he doesn’t make it unsafe in New York City. And I have a lot of power over the budget of New York City, so he’s going to have to behave himself when I’m governor,” Blakeman warned, adding that people are desperate for change in “every place” he goes.
“As I said, people are miserable under Kathy Hochul … How can you be the most overtaxed state in America? How can electric bills be 70 percent higher than the national average if your leaders are doing a good job, and Kathy Hochul is doing a terrible job. So people are leaving our state in droves. Businesses are leaving, taking valuable jobs. So we need a whole fundamental change in the way we do business. And like I said, I run a county that’s larger than eight states, and I know how to get it done,” he added.
According to reports, Hochul has agreed to participate in a debate with Blakeman.
Blakeman said Lee Zeldin, who ran a solid campaign last election cycle, is a “great guy,” but he now has an advantage that Zeldin did not have four years ago: Hochul now has a track record.
“I have a big advantage over Lee Zeldin because when he ran four years ago, Kathy Hochul didn’t have a report card. She had just become governor because Cuomo had left, and she was lieutenant governor,” he said. “And right now, we are the most overtaxed state in the United States of America. We’re the most overregulated state.”
“Our electric bills are 70 percent higher than the national average. She’s the most pro-criminal governor in the United States of America,” he said, describing people as “miserable.”
“They’re unhappy under Kathy Hochul. So I’ve got that report card of hers,” Blakeman continued, explaining that he can compare her record to his as Nassau County Executive.
“And I also got my report card. I lead a county that’s larger than eight states in population. I cut 150 million dollars in taxes. I haven’t raised taxes a penny in four years. I’ve got four budget surpluses, seven bond upgrades, and U.S. News and World Report says I have the safest county in America because I hired 900 new law enforcement professionals,” Blakeman said.
“So right now I have a big advantage because I’m going to compare my report card with her report card, and as a result, people will realize that I am the one that should be leading this state. This state is number 50 in economic outlook. We’re at the very, very bottom. People are unhappy. They want a governor that will make them happy,” he stated, ensuring that he will do everything he can to keep socialist New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani at bay.
“Kathy Hochul endorsed Zoran Mandani. Zoran Mandami endorsed her. She gave him $5 billion to bail out his budget without any strings attached, without any conditions, without any requirements that he cut spending. So they’re lockstep together,” he reminded listeners, promising to serve as a “check” on the socialist leader.
“I will be a check on Zohran Mandami. Zohran Mandami is an anti-Semite. He’s anti-Christian. He’s anti-American. He’s anti-capitalism. I will be a strong governor who makes sure that he doesn’t destroy the economy of the city of New York and that he doesn’t make it unsafe in New York City. And I have a lot of power over the budget of New York City, so he’s going to have to behave himself when I’m governor,” Blakeman warned, adding that people are desperate for change in “every place” he goes.
“As I said, people are miserable under Kathy Hochul … How can you be the most overtaxed state in America? How can electric bills be 70 percent higher than the national average if your leaders are doing a good job, and Kathy Hochul is doing a terrible job. So people are leaving our state in droves. Businesses are leaving, taking valuable jobs. So we need a whole fundamental change in the way we do business. And like I said, I run a county that’s larger than eight states, and I know how to get it done,” he added.
According to reports, Hochul has agreed to participate in a debate with Blakeman.
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
An Olive Branch Grows in the Yonkers GOP
By Ron Matten, Yonkers Times
By Ron Matten, Yonkers Times
L-R-Dan D’Amico, John Issac, Bebe Ahmed, Westchester GOP Chair Doug Colety, Anthony Merante, Brandon Neider, Edwina Herrera
The Westchester County Republicans held their nominating Convention on Sunday, February 22. The upstairs banquet hall at Westchester Manor was filled with a sense of urgency. Not because of any contentious wranglings, but because Westchester was hours away from the Blizard of 2026.
Doug Colety the longstanding County Chair and Republican Board of Elections Commissioner took decisive control of the meeting, which presented few surprises. For decades, Republican conventions have been scripted.
Candidates declared well before the convention and local political committees have had a chance to meet the announced candidates to interview them. Executive committees are granted all the power of selection by way of the much-maligned proxy process.
Rarely have there been any dark horse candidates and this Sunday was no exception.
The Yonkers slate had declared early in January:
· Anthony Merante for Senate District 35
· John Issac For Assembly District 90
· Brandon Neider for Assembly District 89
· Dan D’Amico for County Legislature District 16
· James Nolan for Re-election to County Legislative District 15
· Bebe Ahmed for County Legislative District 14
Khristen Kerr from Greenburgh who had run for Senate District 35 had also declared her intention to challenge Merante for the party endorsement. Ms. Kerr ran for SD 35 two times before but never received more than 35% of the vote. On the second round, Ms. Kerr’s percentage dipped below 34%.
The only contest of the afternoon was Kerr versus Merante. At the end of the floor vote, Merante won handedly with overwhelming support of the Yonkers delegation.
Mr. Merante had over 22 thousand votes to Ms. Kerr’s five thousand and change. At the time of printing, it appears that Khristen Kerr will be attempting to primary Anthony Merante the Republican endorsed candidate.
It was one year ago that the Yonkers City Committee was at odds with former Councilman Merante and his League of the Aggrieved. During his interview process Merante challenged the Committee to endorse his slate as a first step in unity.
The Yonkers Republican City Committee extended the olive branch by overwhelmingly endorsing the slate.
While Sunday’s convention was generally good news for republicans, the election season will be long and at times contentious. Time will tell if the Republican Party of Yonkers is on the mend. ##
Doug Colety the longstanding County Chair and Republican Board of Elections Commissioner took decisive control of the meeting, which presented few surprises. For decades, Republican conventions have been scripted.
Candidates declared well before the convention and local political committees have had a chance to meet the announced candidates to interview them. Executive committees are granted all the power of selection by way of the much-maligned proxy process.
Rarely have there been any dark horse candidates and this Sunday was no exception.
The Yonkers slate had declared early in January:
· Anthony Merante for Senate District 35
· John Issac For Assembly District 90
· Brandon Neider for Assembly District 89
· Dan D’Amico for County Legislature District 16
· James Nolan for Re-election to County Legislative District 15
· Bebe Ahmed for County Legislative District 14
Khristen Kerr from Greenburgh who had run for Senate District 35 had also declared her intention to challenge Merante for the party endorsement. Ms. Kerr ran for SD 35 two times before but never received more than 35% of the vote. On the second round, Ms. Kerr’s percentage dipped below 34%.
The only contest of the afternoon was Kerr versus Merante. At the end of the floor vote, Merante won handedly with overwhelming support of the Yonkers delegation.
Mr. Merante had over 22 thousand votes to Ms. Kerr’s five thousand and change. At the time of printing, it appears that Khristen Kerr will be attempting to primary Anthony Merante the Republican endorsed candidate.
It was one year ago that the Yonkers City Committee was at odds with former Councilman Merante and his League of the Aggrieved. During his interview process Merante challenged the Committee to endorse his slate as a first step in unity.
The Yonkers Republican City Committee extended the olive branch by overwhelmingly endorsing the slate.
While Sunday’s convention was generally good news for republicans, the election season will be long and at times contentious. Time will tell if the Republican Party of Yonkers is on the mend. ##
____________________________
THE GREAT ESCAPE
Approximately 4.69 million people moved out of New York during the 10 most recent Census reporting years. Families, seniors, workers and businesses are voting with their feet because Albany has made New York too expensive.
New Yorkers are being crushed by high taxes, soaring utility bills, unaffordable housing, rising insurance costs and everyday expenses that continue to outpace incomes. Businesses face the same pressures, along with costly regulations and high operating expenses that drive jobs and investment to other states.
New York’s Democratic leadership is completely off the rails. Reckless spending, political handouts and billions spent housing migrants in hotels and providing food, transportation, cell phones and other benefits have pushed state spending higher while the tax base continues to shrink. When people and businesses leave, the burden falls even harder on those who remain.
As a CPA and former Yonkers City Councilmember, I know government must live within its means. As your State Senator, I will fight to control spending, lower taxes, reduce energy costs and make New York a place where families can stay and businesses can grow.
It is time to stop the Great Escape and make New York affordable again.
Approximately 4.69 million people moved out of New York during the 10 most recent Census reporting years. Families, seniors, workers and businesses are voting with their feet because Albany has made New York too expensive.
New Yorkers are being crushed by high taxes, soaring utility bills, unaffordable housing, rising insurance costs and everyday expenses that continue to outpace incomes. Businesses face the same pressures, along with costly regulations and high operating expenses that drive jobs and investment to other states.
New York’s Democratic leadership is completely off the rails. Reckless spending, political handouts and billions spent housing migrants in hotels and providing food, transportation, cell phones and other benefits have pushed state spending higher while the tax base continues to shrink. When people and businesses leave, the burden falls even harder on those who remain.
As a CPA and former Yonkers City Councilmember, I know government must live within its means. As your State Senator, I will fight to control spending, lower taxes, reduce energy costs and make New York a place where families can stay and businesses can grow.
It is time to stop the Great Escape and make New York affordable again.
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Dan D'Amico, 16th-District Republican Candidate for Westchester County Legislator.
'Follow the Money' - What Campaign Donations Tell You about Who Your Legislators Really Serve
By Dan D'Amico, 2026 Yonkers/Mt. Vernon Republican Candidate for 14th District Westchester County Legislator
In politics, one of the most revealing things you can look at isn't a speech or a press release. It's a campaign finance filing.
New York State requires candidates for public office to publicly disclose who donate to their campaigns. These are public records and anyone can look them up at the New York State Board of Elections.
The reason we have these disclosure laws is simple: voters deserve to know who is funding the people who make decisions on their behalf.
I want to be completely transparent about my campaign. Every dollar I raise comes from individuals who believe in what I'm fighting for, which is lower taxes, better infrastructure, and real housing affordability for the families of District 16.
You can always ask me directly who supports this campaign, and I will tell you.
Voters deserve to ask that same question of every candidate running for office, including my opponent.
So here are the facts that voters should be aware of...all based on public records:
By Dan D'Amico, 2026 Yonkers/Mt. Vernon Republican Candidate for 14th District Westchester County Legislator
In politics, one of the most revealing things you can look at isn't a speech or a press release. It's a campaign finance filing.
New York State requires candidates for public office to publicly disclose who donate to their campaigns. These are public records and anyone can look them up at the New York State Board of Elections.
The reason we have these disclosure laws is simple: voters deserve to know who is funding the people who make decisions on their behalf.
I want to be completely transparent about my campaign. Every dollar I raise comes from individuals who believe in what I'm fighting for, which is lower taxes, better infrastructure, and real housing affordability for the families of District 16.
You can always ask me directly who supports this campaign, and I will tell you.
Voters deserve to ask that same question of every candidate running for office, including my opponent.
So here are the facts that voters should be aware of...all based on public records:
- Luxury apartment developers operating in Yonkers, the same developments being built in a district where longtime residents are getting priced out
- Peckham Industries, one of the largest paving and road construction companies in the Westchester region
- Elite Feats, a race marketing and production company (ironically my opponent hosts a 5k race for domestic violence).
My opponent's financial disclosures showing her major donors being luxury developers in Yonkers as well as a Westchester Paving company and race marketing company. All the while she sits on housing and planning committee and hosts an annual race.
My opponent's financial disclosure showing an architect firm in Yonkers Donating to her campaign. All the while she sits on the Housing and planning committee.
I want to be very clear: these are donations on the public record. I am not alleging that any laws were broken. I am not attacking anyone's character.
But I'm asking the question what every voter should ask:
* When the Chair of the Housing and Planning Committee receives large donations from luxury developers - and then makes decisions about county housing policy - do the families of District 16 come first, or do the donors?, and...
* When a legislator who oversees county infrastructure receives donations from a major paving company that does county road contracts, who is she thinking about when she votes on the county budget?
These are fair questions. They are the right questions. And the voters of District 16 deserve honest answers.
Politics works the way it does because most people don't look up campaign finance records. Most people don't make the connections. I'm making them visible because I believe you have the right to know.
I'm running this campaign the old-fashioned way: door to door, neighbor to neighbor, dollar by dollar from real people in this district.
Because the only people I owe anything to when I get to that legislative chamber are the families of District 16.
See My Opponent's full campaign finance disclosure: Click this link:
NYSBOE Public Reporting System: Contributions by Recipient and type in their name. ##
But I'm asking the question what every voter should ask:
* When the Chair of the Housing and Planning Committee receives large donations from luxury developers - and then makes decisions about county housing policy - do the families of District 16 come first, or do the donors?, and...
* When a legislator who oversees county infrastructure receives donations from a major paving company that does county road contracts, who is she thinking about when she votes on the county budget?
These are fair questions. They are the right questions. And the voters of District 16 deserve honest answers.
Politics works the way it does because most people don't look up campaign finance records. Most people don't make the connections. I'm making them visible because I believe you have the right to know.
I'm running this campaign the old-fashioned way: door to door, neighbor to neighbor, dollar by dollar from real people in this district.
Because the only people I owe anything to when I get to that legislative chamber are the families of District 16.
See My Opponent's full campaign finance disclosure: Click this link:
NYSBOE Public Reporting System: Contributions by Recipient and type in their name. ##
____________________________
Yonkers City Councilman Mike Breen on the Kathy Hochul Budget Mess
____________________________
PROFILE:
Former Councilman
Merante Sets His Sights
On State Senate Seat
Former Councilman
Merante Sets His Sights
On State Senate Seat
[Note: Anthony Merante's candidacy for the 37th-District State Senate seat now held by incumbent Andrea Stewart-Cousins, was formally endorsed by the Yonkers Republican Party Committee on Feb. 22, a few weeks after this article was written.]
By Phil Zisman - The YONKERS LEDGER
Anthony Merante has never been a conventional politician.
While his political philosophy is grounded in traditional Republican conservatism, his independent spirit and disdain for machine politics resonate with progressives.
After two four-year terms on the City Council representing the 6th District, the feisty, loquacious Merante has found himself out of a political job following his loss to Democrat Tim Hodges.
While he’s not bitter and doesn’t take personally the backstabbing that is an unfailing feature of Yonkers politics, he does like to caution his rivals that “they should be wary because when they arrive at the Pearly Gates they'll discover that Saint Peter has given him the key.”
In early January, I interviewed Merante, a certified public accountant, small business owner and longtime Yonkers homeowner. Our conversation touched on many topics, including his take on the 2026/27 Yonkers budget, where he sees a property tax increase of six percent as almost unavoidable...
...his reflections on his time in office; his take on the current City Council and Yonkers machine politics; and finally, his political future, as he contemplates a run for the New York State Senate seat currently held by Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.
The 2026/27 Budget 'Will Not Feel Good to the Taxpayers'
Merante predicts that City taxpayers will see a property tax increase of as much as six percent this year with regular, and perhaps significant, increases for many years to come. He worries the steady rise in taxes is putting pressure on homeowners to sell and move out of the City. He warns that “something’s got to give.”
Nonetheless, he backed the recently ratified Teamsters contract that hikes costs 10 percent over five years, calling it fair, given Yonkers’ status as a union town. He recognizes that City employees are well paid, but he believes they provide value to the taxpayers.
He acknowledges, however, that if all municipal unions negotiate the same salary increases as the Teamsters, large, annual property tax increases will undoubtedly follow.
During his time on the Council, Merante regularly voted against adopting the annual budget. His opposition was rooted in his belief that the State of New York should provide more aid to the City, arguing that Yonkers has historically generated more tax revenue for the State than it has received in return. He believes this imbalance in aid must change.
He expects that this year the State will increase aid, but also require the City to raise taxes.
Highlights from his Time in Office
In addition to his votes against tax increases and spending hikes, he opposed a large pay increase for Council members and the Mayor. When the raises were approved over his objection, he donated most of his increase to community groups in his district. He was also the only Council member to refuse the perk of a City vehicle.
Merante measures his success by what he got done for his constituents. His motto was, 'It’s all about you.' To understand what the people in his district needed, he said it was important to “listen twice as much as he talked" before taking action.
Despite his fiscal conservatism, he supported increased funding for street paving and tree maintenance, as he believes these are essential services. Many of his constituents requested help with getting the City to address unsafe street and tree conditions in their neighborhoods.
One of his most important accomplishments came early in his Council tenure when he successfully worked for a substantial funding increase to tackle the backlog of approximately 2,000 requests for tree removal and trimming. He asserted that by the time he left office, the backlog was mostly eliminated.
He acknowledged, however, that he wasn’t always successful in his efforts. Although he helped lead the charge against the zoning change that allowed UPS to create a distribution center on Tuckahoe Road, he couldn’t muster the votes to prevent it.
Term-limit overturn? Merante’s was a 'no' vote in 2022.
Merante also led the opposition to proposed Council legislation to overturn the City’s term-limit law allowing Mayor Spano to seek a 4th term. The amendment was approved by a vote of 4 to 3.
Machine politics in Yonkers-One Party Rule
After the term limit defeat, Merante then faced off against Mayor Spano in the 2023 mayoral election. Although Spano won re-election and an unprecedented 4th term by a wide margin, Merante is proud of his effort.
As a matter of principle, he mostly self-funded his campaign, refusing all contributions from developers because he wanted to avoid any appearance that his vote was for sale. Merante took solace in the fact that Spano received 2,000 fewer votes than in 2019.
He lamented, however, that too many uninformed voters simply cast their ballots along party lines without evaluating which candidate would best represent their interests.
Merante is disenchanted with the City’s Republican Party leadership and calls them “Spanocans” loyal to Democratic Mayor Spano.
He believes that at least on a local level, the Spanocans have forsaken core-Republican values.
But his criticism doesn’t stop with just the Republicans. He believes Yonkers Democrats, or “Spanocrats,” have also forsaken their principles and have been co-opted by the Spano political machine.
According to Merante, we have become a one-party town – the Spano Party – which is beholden to campaign contributors and the need to provide jobs and economic opportunities for their network of family and friends.
Merante is concerned that 'the machine' favors its own, to the disadvantage of the hard-working people of Yonkers who are not connected.
Merante believes that the only way to end the current political dynamic in the City is through change at the ballot box.
Respect for Mayor Spano - but Political Harm Seen
Despite his pointed criticisms, Merante respects the political acumen of Mayor Spano’s team and their successful maneuvering to take control of the political apparatus of both the City’s Democratic and Republican parties.
Ironically, Merante is in basic agreement with many of the Mayor’s initiatives. He generally supports the development of the downtown and the Hudson River waterfront because it has increased our tax base, although he called 'Hollywood on the Hudson' a fraud because, so far, it has not provided the promised well-paying jobs for Yonkers residents.
He also wishes the new apartment buildings weren’t rentals, because he sees renters as a transient population that doesn’t build stable communities.
Like the Mayor, Merante also supports the addition of a new library branch at the old Lincoln Park Jewish Center, and the efforts to ensure that the MGM casino can continue to prosper in Yonkers despite its decision to withdraw its application for a full casino license.
Although Merante said he would gladly sit down and have a burger with the Mayor, he takes exception to what he considers the political retribution he endured for waging his campaign to uphold term limits and then running against the Mayor in 2023.
Merante paid a price for being a maverick on the Council.
He asserted that at the direction of the Mayor, City officials practically stopped responding to his requests for constituent services, and that the Mayor’s loyalists from both parties on the Council also acted against him.
Specifically, Merante claimed his long-term legislative aide was fired by Republican Majority Leader Mike Breen, and that the Council voted to grant a zone change for a property in his district – 900 North Broadway – even though Merante objected to the change.
According to Merante, it was the first time that Councilmembers ignored a long-standing practice of deferring to the wishes of a district’s Council member. Merante believes none of this would have occurred without the Mayor’s approval.
Yonkers City Council...a Rubber Stamp?
Merante said that the City Council is mostly a rubber stamp for the Mayor. With his [Merante's] departure, the Mayor’s influence over the legislature is virtually complete except for Corazon Pineda-Isaac, who was also punished for having the guts to primary the Mayor in 2023.
Merante wonders who will now ask the hard questions when it comes to the budget. He views his replacement Tim Hodges as the newest 'puppet' but hopes he proves him wrong. Merante wants the Council to step up and do its job as a check on the Mayor’s power.
What’s Next
Merante is not ready to walk away from Yonkers politics just yet. In his parting speech to the Council, he hinted that he might be back.
When I asked him about his plans, without skipping a beat he said he was seriously considering running for the State Senate seat currently held by the Democratic State Senator and Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.
When I questioned whether he truly believed he could win a race against the popular incumbent, he insisted he wouldn’t be running against Stewart-Cousins, but for the State Senate.
He said it was important to give people a real choice and, moreover, he wanted to help the presumed Republican candidate for governor, Bruce Blakeman, defeat Governor Hochul.
Tilting at Windmills?
Merante asserts that he has always staked out positions based on his personal sense of what is right and wrong and what is good for his constituents.
He believes that many of the City’s elected officials have lost sight of the fact that they were elected to serve the people of Yonkers and not themselves.
He believes that change can only come through the hard work of educating the electorate to vote for candidates who put the people first.
This is what Merante says he will do as he contemplates a run for the State Senate– by any realistic measure, a long shot.
Challenging the popular and respected Andrea Stewart-Cousins in one of the most reliably Democratic districts in the state is not a recipe for success. It is, instead, something closer to Don Quixote tilting at windmills: a solitary figure charging a steady, established force.
Anthony Merante is clearly driven more by conviction than by the odds of winning. He believes he’s on a noble quest. ##
By Phil Zisman - The YONKERS LEDGER
Anthony Merante has never been a conventional politician.
While his political philosophy is grounded in traditional Republican conservatism, his independent spirit and disdain for machine politics resonate with progressives.
After two four-year terms on the City Council representing the 6th District, the feisty, loquacious Merante has found himself out of a political job following his loss to Democrat Tim Hodges.
While he’s not bitter and doesn’t take personally the backstabbing that is an unfailing feature of Yonkers politics, he does like to caution his rivals that “they should be wary because when they arrive at the Pearly Gates they'll discover that Saint Peter has given him the key.”
In early January, I interviewed Merante, a certified public accountant, small business owner and longtime Yonkers homeowner. Our conversation touched on many topics, including his take on the 2026/27 Yonkers budget, where he sees a property tax increase of six percent as almost unavoidable...
...his reflections on his time in office; his take on the current City Council and Yonkers machine politics; and finally, his political future, as he contemplates a run for the New York State Senate seat currently held by Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.
The 2026/27 Budget 'Will Not Feel Good to the Taxpayers'
Merante predicts that City taxpayers will see a property tax increase of as much as six percent this year with regular, and perhaps significant, increases for many years to come. He worries the steady rise in taxes is putting pressure on homeowners to sell and move out of the City. He warns that “something’s got to give.”
Nonetheless, he backed the recently ratified Teamsters contract that hikes costs 10 percent over five years, calling it fair, given Yonkers’ status as a union town. He recognizes that City employees are well paid, but he believes they provide value to the taxpayers.
He acknowledges, however, that if all municipal unions negotiate the same salary increases as the Teamsters, large, annual property tax increases will undoubtedly follow.
During his time on the Council, Merante regularly voted against adopting the annual budget. His opposition was rooted in his belief that the State of New York should provide more aid to the City, arguing that Yonkers has historically generated more tax revenue for the State than it has received in return. He believes this imbalance in aid must change.
He expects that this year the State will increase aid, but also require the City to raise taxes.
Highlights from his Time in Office
In addition to his votes against tax increases and spending hikes, he opposed a large pay increase for Council members and the Mayor. When the raises were approved over his objection, he donated most of his increase to community groups in his district. He was also the only Council member to refuse the perk of a City vehicle.
Merante measures his success by what he got done for his constituents. His motto was, 'It’s all about you.' To understand what the people in his district needed, he said it was important to “listen twice as much as he talked" before taking action.
Despite his fiscal conservatism, he supported increased funding for street paving and tree maintenance, as he believes these are essential services. Many of his constituents requested help with getting the City to address unsafe street and tree conditions in their neighborhoods.
One of his most important accomplishments came early in his Council tenure when he successfully worked for a substantial funding increase to tackle the backlog of approximately 2,000 requests for tree removal and trimming. He asserted that by the time he left office, the backlog was mostly eliminated.
He acknowledged, however, that he wasn’t always successful in his efforts. Although he helped lead the charge against the zoning change that allowed UPS to create a distribution center on Tuckahoe Road, he couldn’t muster the votes to prevent it.
Term-limit overturn? Merante’s was a 'no' vote in 2022.
Merante also led the opposition to proposed Council legislation to overturn the City’s term-limit law allowing Mayor Spano to seek a 4th term. The amendment was approved by a vote of 4 to 3.
Machine politics in Yonkers-One Party Rule
After the term limit defeat, Merante then faced off against Mayor Spano in the 2023 mayoral election. Although Spano won re-election and an unprecedented 4th term by a wide margin, Merante is proud of his effort.
As a matter of principle, he mostly self-funded his campaign, refusing all contributions from developers because he wanted to avoid any appearance that his vote was for sale. Merante took solace in the fact that Spano received 2,000 fewer votes than in 2019.
He lamented, however, that too many uninformed voters simply cast their ballots along party lines without evaluating which candidate would best represent their interests.
Merante is disenchanted with the City’s Republican Party leadership and calls them “Spanocans” loyal to Democratic Mayor Spano.
He believes that at least on a local level, the Spanocans have forsaken core-Republican values.
But his criticism doesn’t stop with just the Republicans. He believes Yonkers Democrats, or “Spanocrats,” have also forsaken their principles and have been co-opted by the Spano political machine.
According to Merante, we have become a one-party town – the Spano Party – which is beholden to campaign contributors and the need to provide jobs and economic opportunities for their network of family and friends.
Merante is concerned that 'the machine' favors its own, to the disadvantage of the hard-working people of Yonkers who are not connected.
Merante believes that the only way to end the current political dynamic in the City is through change at the ballot box.
Respect for Mayor Spano - but Political Harm Seen
Despite his pointed criticisms, Merante respects the political acumen of Mayor Spano’s team and their successful maneuvering to take control of the political apparatus of both the City’s Democratic and Republican parties.
Ironically, Merante is in basic agreement with many of the Mayor’s initiatives. He generally supports the development of the downtown and the Hudson River waterfront because it has increased our tax base, although he called 'Hollywood on the Hudson' a fraud because, so far, it has not provided the promised well-paying jobs for Yonkers residents.
He also wishes the new apartment buildings weren’t rentals, because he sees renters as a transient population that doesn’t build stable communities.
Like the Mayor, Merante also supports the addition of a new library branch at the old Lincoln Park Jewish Center, and the efforts to ensure that the MGM casino can continue to prosper in Yonkers despite its decision to withdraw its application for a full casino license.
Although Merante said he would gladly sit down and have a burger with the Mayor, he takes exception to what he considers the political retribution he endured for waging his campaign to uphold term limits and then running against the Mayor in 2023.
Merante paid a price for being a maverick on the Council.
He asserted that at the direction of the Mayor, City officials practically stopped responding to his requests for constituent services, and that the Mayor’s loyalists from both parties on the Council also acted against him.
Specifically, Merante claimed his long-term legislative aide was fired by Republican Majority Leader Mike Breen, and that the Council voted to grant a zone change for a property in his district – 900 North Broadway – even though Merante objected to the change.
According to Merante, it was the first time that Councilmembers ignored a long-standing practice of deferring to the wishes of a district’s Council member. Merante believes none of this would have occurred without the Mayor’s approval.
Yonkers City Council...a Rubber Stamp?
Merante said that the City Council is mostly a rubber stamp for the Mayor. With his [Merante's] departure, the Mayor’s influence over the legislature is virtually complete except for Corazon Pineda-Isaac, who was also punished for having the guts to primary the Mayor in 2023.
Merante wonders who will now ask the hard questions when it comes to the budget. He views his replacement Tim Hodges as the newest 'puppet' but hopes he proves him wrong. Merante wants the Council to step up and do its job as a check on the Mayor’s power.
What’s Next
Merante is not ready to walk away from Yonkers politics just yet. In his parting speech to the Council, he hinted that he might be back.
When I asked him about his plans, without skipping a beat he said he was seriously considering running for the State Senate seat currently held by the Democratic State Senator and Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.
When I questioned whether he truly believed he could win a race against the popular incumbent, he insisted he wouldn’t be running against Stewart-Cousins, but for the State Senate.
He said it was important to give people a real choice and, moreover, he wanted to help the presumed Republican candidate for governor, Bruce Blakeman, defeat Governor Hochul.
Tilting at Windmills?
Merante asserts that he has always staked out positions based on his personal sense of what is right and wrong and what is good for his constituents.
He believes that many of the City’s elected officials have lost sight of the fact that they were elected to serve the people of Yonkers and not themselves.
He believes that change can only come through the hard work of educating the electorate to vote for candidates who put the people first.
This is what Merante says he will do as he contemplates a run for the State Senate– by any realistic measure, a long shot.
Challenging the popular and respected Andrea Stewart-Cousins in one of the most reliably Democratic districts in the state is not a recipe for success. It is, instead, something closer to Don Quixote tilting at windmills: a solitary figure charging a steady, established force.
Anthony Merante is clearly driven more by conviction than by the odds of winning. He believes he’s on a noble quest. ##
____________________________
____________________________
Westchester GOP Endorses Team Yonkers
Team Yonkers and other candidates were all endorsed by the Westchester GOP last weekend!
Pictured Above (Left To Right)
Dan Damico For County Legislator (16th District)
John Issac For Assembly (90th District)
Bebe Ahmed For County Legislator (14th District)
Doug Colety, Westchester County GOP Chair
Anthony Merante For Senate (35th District)
Brandon J. Neider For Assembly (89th District)
Edwinna Herrera For County Legislator (11th District)
You can visit campaigns pages here: Merante's Facebook Page, Neider For Assembly, and Isaac For Assembly
Pictured Above (Left To Right)
Dan Damico For County Legislator (16th District)
John Issac For Assembly (90th District)
Bebe Ahmed For County Legislator (14th District)
Doug Colety, Westchester County GOP Chair
Anthony Merante For Senate (35th District)
Brandon J. Neider For Assembly (89th District)
Edwinna Herrera For County Legislator (11th District)
You can visit campaigns pages here: Merante's Facebook Page, Neider For Assembly, and Isaac For Assembly
Thank you to all the volunteers who came out to help all the Yonkers campaigns this weekend! We collected well over 100 signatures in just a few hours of door to door!
If you'd like to volunteer for the next petitioning event, let us know by emailing us at [email protected].
If you'd like to volunteer for the next petitioning event, let us know by emailing us at [email protected].
____________________________
'This Time We'll Make It...with a Little Help from You!'
John Isaac for NY Assembly
Call for Volunteers!
John Isaac for NY Assembly
Call for Volunteers!
____________________________
DECLARED CANDIDATES (AS OF 02/18/26)
Campaign websites:
meranteforsenate.com
neiderforassembly.com
Isaac4Assembly90.com
bebeforwestchester.com
____________________________
meranteforsenate.com
neiderforassembly.com
Isaac4Assembly90.com
bebeforwestchester.com
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
County Legislator James Nolan Announces Reelection Campaign
I am proud to announce my campaign for re-election as Westchester County Legislator for District 15—a decision I was honored to share at last night’s Teamsters Local 456 meeting.
As a proud member of Teamsters Local 456, I was especially pleased to share this announcement with my fellow union members. Proud to also announce that I have received the Teamsters endorsement as well!
Serving our community has been the honor of a lifetime. During my term, I have stood up for working families, public safety, and taxpayers—pushing back against reckless spending, one-party rule, and policies that make Westchester less affordable and less safe.
As the only Republican on the Westchester County Board of Legislators, I have been a strong, independent voice focused on results, not politics—working across the aisle when it benefits our communities and never backing down from defending my constituents, union jobs, law enforcement, and our neighborhoods.
There is more work to do. I am ready to continue fighting for the residents of Yonkers, Bronxville, and Eastchester, and to work to make Westchester strong, safe, and affordable. I am ready to continue my work for the everyday working men, women, seniors, and youth I have served time and time again.
I respectfully ask for your support as I seek re-election to continue serving the District. 15.##
As a proud member of Teamsters Local 456, I was especially pleased to share this announcement with my fellow union members. Proud to also announce that I have received the Teamsters endorsement as well!
Serving our community has been the honor of a lifetime. During my term, I have stood up for working families, public safety, and taxpayers—pushing back against reckless spending, one-party rule, and policies that make Westchester less affordable and less safe.
As the only Republican on the Westchester County Board of Legislators, I have been a strong, independent voice focused on results, not politics—working across the aisle when it benefits our communities and never backing down from defending my constituents, union jobs, law enforcement, and our neighborhoods.
There is more work to do. I am ready to continue fighting for the residents of Yonkers, Bronxville, and Eastchester, and to work to make Westchester strong, safe, and affordable. I am ready to continue my work for the everyday working men, women, seniors, and youth I have served time and time again.
I respectfully ask for your support as I seek re-election to continue serving the District. 15.##
____________________________