PRESS RELEASE: Members of the Yonkers City Council met for an organizational meeting on Thursday January 2th post the inauguration of the 2020 members of the City Council.

YONKERS: At The Yonkers City Council organizational meeting council rules are adopted and committee assignments are made.

QUOTE: #AnthonyMerante, a 6th District Councilmember stated, “I’m proud to have received bipartisan support for this chairmanship. Yonkers faces many challenges ahead in funding our schools and services that our citizens expect. I intend to use my knowledge and expertise as a CPA for 33 years to insure we are spending taxpayer funds wisely. I look forward to working with the Mayor, Council President and my fellow Council Members in this capacity.”

Councilman Anthony Merante, who has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1987 had the support of a majority of the City Council.

Supporting Anthony Merante was Majority Leader Corazon Pineda Isaac, Councilmember John Rubbo and Minority Leader Mike Breen.

The Council Budget Committee is responsible for reviewing any item of a fiscal nature, which is to be put to the floor of the Council for a vote.

The committee has seven members comprised of the entire City Council.

The committee requires The City of Yonkers Budget Director or Commissioner of Finance to appear before the committee to answer member’s questions about any spending proposals.

When Mayor Mike Spano releases the budget it is sent to the budget committee for review.

The committee also schedules budget hearings requiring department heads to come before it to quiry their spending requests and to answer committee member’s questions.

These hearings are held in the Council Chamber and are televised so the public has an opportunity to witness the proceedings and gain further insight into the budget process.