By Joseph Berger, John P. O’Leary Northwest Yonkers Republican Club co-founder, member and guest writer. When taxpayers pay more but continue to experience uneven delivery of basic city services, it is appropriate to examine not just policies, but the structure of government itself. Yonkers currently operates under a system of six City Council districts and a City Council President, a structure that emerged from court-ordered changes in the 1980s. Prior to those changes, Yonk

By Joseph Berger, John P. O’Leary Northwest Yonkers Republican Club co-founder, member and guest writer. Yonkers currently operates under a Strong Mayor form of government, where executive authority is concentrated in a single political office. For taxpayers, this means major decisions about hiring, city services, and operations are largely controlled at the top, with limited independent oversight. While this structure can provide clear leadership, it also carries risks when

Local government works best when elected officials clearly explain not just how they vote, but why. In Yonkers, recent budget discussions involving former City Councilmember Anthony Merante highlight how important that clarity is — especially at a time when residents are feeling the impact of higher taxes and rising living costs. Former Councilmember Merante has consistently voiced concerns about the city’s operating budget, casting a “no” vote based on his belief that the pl

Back in the 1980s, we had real parties and real leaders. Republicans and Democrats were competitive, civil, serious, and engaged. State and Westchester County Republican Chairmen Anthony Colavita was the model of leadership: respected, strategic, and always thinking years ahead. He built candidates. He built coalitions. He built victories. Then everything fell apart. How did we go from a powerhouse to a 30 percent afterthought? The answer is simple: as New York City resident

That seems to be the mantra of Democrats across the country — and Yonkers Democrats are no exception. When MGM pulled out of the Empire Casino expansion deal, two Democrats couldn’t wait to grab a microphone and point fingers at Trump for their own failures. Which two? Democrat Mike Spano and Democrat John Rubbo — both former Republicans who abandoned their principles when they saw the Democratic registration numbers growing faster than Republican ones. Like others, they swit

In a moment that could have marked a turning point for unity and renewal, the Yonkers Republican City Committee instead chose the path of...

An anonymous complaint was filed with the Division of Election Law Enforcement (DELE) on April 5 th , 2025. The complaint was not only...

(L-R) Joseph Berger, Debbie Kozak & John P. O'Leary When I accepted an invitation to lunch in Getty Square on a Saturday afternoon, I...

I read Ron Matten’s, “The Civil War in Yonkers GOP” in the Yonkers Times regarding his take on the challenges surrounding the current...

Word has no doubt by now spread far and wide of what a catastrophic fiasco last week's (Feb. 19) extremely-short-advance-notice Yonkers...

With Westchesterites distracted by vacations and other activities these past few months our County Legislators managed to cook up and...