DOWNTOWN YONKERS: 'A GILDED CAGE' FOR TRANSPLANTS ESCAPING NYC CRIME

When I accepted an invitation to lunch in Getty Square on a Saturday afternoon, I expected some inconveniences — but the experience I had still left me shaking my head.

Yes, the downtown revitalization is a big improvement from what it was years ago. But the lingering effects of decades of neglect are still painfully obvious. Parking is a hassle. While trying to pay at one of those automated machines, I had the pleasure of meeting two panhandlers within minutes. The machine itself wasn’t exactly user-friendly — it rejected two different credit cards for no good reason. I finally resorted to cash, only to have one of the panhandlers try to bargain with me because I hadn’t given him enough for the Pepsi he wanted. Imagine getting haggled by a panhandler over soda money.

While it’s always good to see neglected areas get attention, we have to ask: Why was this part of Yonkers allowed to decay in the first place? Why did city leadership stand by while the area descended into crime, drugs, and violence? My best guess — MONEY — and the potential to profit once the time was right. That time is now. What we’re seeing is gentrification dressed up as revitalization.

Meanwhile, the east side continues to be ignored. We get nothing but lip service — no accountability and no real progress. Some civic leaders and politicians are being silenced or co-opted, offered jobs or future opportunities in exchange for their loyalty. And while we’re told someone, “Has our backs,” our eyes and lived experiences tell a very different story.

The one major project slated for the east side of Yonkers is the MGM expansion at Yonkers Raceway and Empire City Casino. It’s projected to generate millions in new revenue for the City of Yonkers. Yet not a single elected official has voiced concern or proposed safeguards to protect the directly impacted communities. While neighboring communities have expressed both support and opposition, our local leaders held “listening sessions” — but the deal was already done.

Worse still, the proposal contains no clear protections against conflicts of interest. In fact, it appears one elected official with ties to a local microbrewery and brewpub positioned himself to benefit directly by inserting his type of business into the vendor pool. If accepted, he stands to profit for years — possibly millions — by using his position of power to gain an inside track. That’s unacceptable!

We need an ironclad clause written into the proposal — before construction begins —that explicitly bars any elected official, their family members, or close associates from profiting off this project in any way. Period.

Yes, we’ve been told there will be more police officers, more jobs, and more tax revenue for the city. But what does that mean for us, the taxpayers? Will we see any relief from our high taxes? Will that money come back to our neighborhoods in the form of improved roads, revitalized storefronts, increased police presence, or better parking enforcement? Traffic congestion on Yonkers Avenue is already at a critical point. With the MGM expansion, that pressure will only intensify. If we don’t address it now, we’ll be creating a bigger problem down the line.

One local official recently declared, “The Casino District zone change has been officially approved. I am excited to collaborate with Mayor Spano to guarantee that this project benefits not only my district but our entire city. We have addressed the community’s concerns, including additional funding for policing, investments in flood mitigation and traffic improvements. I am excited to announce more community benefits in the weeks ahead!”

Here’s the problem: community benefits should not be treated as shiny add-ons or gifts to the public. They should be baked into the foundation of a project that will generate hundreds of millions in profits. Any so-called “investment in the community” should be the bare minimum, not a bargaining chip. We’re not asking for special favors — we’re demanding equity, transparency, and reinvestment.

We don’t need another Atlantic City, where the casino thrived and the neighborhoods around it were left to rot. We need accountability, starting with honest answers and a clear plan for how these promises will be delivered — and enforced. No more backroom deals. No more vague statements.

The residents of the East Side deserve answers — and action. We need to know that our concerns are being addressed. Because this is Yonkers: “The city on the hills, where nothing is on the level.”

By Joseph Berger, John P. O’Leary Northwest Yonkers Republican Club co-founder, member and guest writer.