The Advocate
Richard Blassberg

“It’s Time For All Good Democrats...”

With primary elections less than three weeks away, and the general election looming in November, the gloves have been coming off , and the battle lines have been drawn. Problem is players have been changing parties, Republicans having afterthoughts, abandoning those who elected them numerous times. Of course, nothing to do with voter registrations; no, it’s all about “deeply personal” principles you understand, so deep they cannot
be articulated.

Westchester voters need to keep a scorecard just to know who is in which party. But, why bother, party
affiliation in Westchester does not guarantee the support that ought to be forthcoming.

In fact, it doesn’t mean a darn thing in a county that has been run by a Cabal. Dennis Robertson, Democratic
Yonkers City Councilman, does not get any support from so-called Democrat Andy Spano, nor from his puppeteer, Larry Schwartz. They are solidly behind Republican Mayor Phil Amicone, just as they were solidly behind his Republican buddy Nick Spano each time Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and Tom Abinanti, both solid
Democrats, challenged him. The reason is simple. Larry and Andy did business with Nick, and they do business with Phil Amicone.

Robertson, a straight shooter, refuses to sell out the interests of the People of Yonkers to a County Government that takes too much in taxes, and delivers too little in services. He believes that County Government, particularly
under the Spano Administration, has grown far too big and costly, and that most services would be more cost-
effectively handled at state and local levels. In his words, “Amicone never questions what the County does that inflicts pain on the People of Yonkers.”

County Legislator Clinton Young, running against three-term mayoral incumbent Ernie Davis at the urging of caring rank and file Democrats who are sick and tired of Davis’ excuses and failures, does not have the support
of Spano or Schwartz either. They know, from past experience, that Young cannot be pushed around and made to sacrifice his constituents’ interests, the way Davis can be. The People of Mount Vernon are no fools. They know that there are good reasons why the FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office are looking over Davis’ books. Three million dollars simply doesn’t disappear into thin air!

“They also know ...”that it’s time for a change, a breath of fresh air around City Hall. For almost 12 years now, they know that the Mayor’s Office has been all about the Mayor, and nobody else, least of all the City’s youth. They know that Davis has failed their children miserably, and failed them, as well, in the process. They know that he merely talks a good game. And, they realize that politicians like Spano and Schwartz, are behind him because
they don’t really care what happens in Mount Vernon.

Paul Feiner, one of the most highly regarded public servants in all of downstate New York, does not have the support of Spanocrats Andy and Larry, because he is not only a dedicated public servant, one who goes
out and asks his constituents how he may be of assistance to them, but also he is a man of his word. He is constantly protecting the People of Greenburgh from abuse by the County Executive’s Office, specifi-cally the schemes of Larry Schwartz.

Feiner cannot be bought o with money or favor, a fact that Schwartz will never understand. When Schwartz thought he could sneak by Feiner, and violate the contract between the Town of Greenburgh and the County of Westchester regarding the placement of homeless shelters, by proposing to build one behind the County Police
Headquarters in Hawthorne, Paul stepped up to the plate, and pointed out the fact that it would be a quarter mile too close to already existing facilities under the contract.

Foolishly miscalculating Feiner’s integrity and his determination to honor and protect the interests of Greenburgh citizens, Andy Spano made a statement, publicly, that he would “work something out” with Supervisor Feiner. When Paul stood firm, announcing that he would not go against the spirit, or the letter, of the agreement binding
the County, thus diminishing the Town’s position in all future contract negotiations, he did so, fully recognizing that Larry would encourage and finance anyone, yes anyone, he could get to run against him.

Supervisor Paul Feiner, County Legislator Clinton Young, and Yonkers City Councilman Dennis Robertson, true Democrats all, are running on their records and on their platforms. They will not be dictated to by the likes of Larry Schwartz and his ilk. Each of these men will be recognized as true Democrats, public servants uncompromised by fear or favor.