Democratic candidates vie for votes in primary election for mayor of Yonkers
There are three candidates running in this heated Democratic primary, including the city's current mayor, a seasoned city council person and a longtime educator.
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Voters in New York's third largest city will be selecting who will be on the Democratic ticket to run for Yonkers mayor.
There are three candidates running in this heated Democratic primary, including the city's current mayor, a seasoned city council person and a longtime educator.
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Mayor Mike Spano has been steering the ship in Yonkers since his first term began in 2012.
"My hope is, like I said, the people of Yonkers will want to continue this success we've brought on board and will continue to do,” he says.
Spano is seeking a fourth term, which was made possible after Yonkers City Council extended term limits a second time following a heated and divided debate.
City Councilwoman Corazon Pineda Isaac voted against that term extension and said it’s time for a change in leadership.
"To extend term limits was very problematic,” she says. "My goal is to allow people to be represented but also be a unifier."
Pineda Isaac has been on the city council since 2014. She says if elected as mayor, she'll continue focusing on improving education outcomes, reducing crime and creating more affordable housing.
Margaret Fountain Coleman is also looking to become the City of Hills first woman and person of color to lead.
"After the term limit debacle, it just seems like this is the right time for leadership in the city of Yonkers,” she says.
Fountain Coleman is a longtime Yonkers educator who says she is focused on adding more affordable housing, improving infrastructure, public safety and schools.
"Special education is near and dear to my heart. Making sure that children and their families are able to access education the way they need to access and having the resources available for all children,” she says.
Spano says if he was re-elected, he would continue to focus on development, adding affordable housing, improving public safety and schools.
"There is so much left for us to accomplish,” he says. “I felt that if I left now, I would have unfinished business and I don't want to leave with the city unfinished."
Whoever wins the Democratic primary will face Republican Councilman Anthony Merante in November.
