County exec's son appears in ad that slams dad

The son of Westchester County Executive Andy Spano has joined the fight to abolish county government, appearing in an ad targeting his father and his tax policies. The advertisement featuring David Spano

News 12 Staff

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Mar 4, 2009, 6:54 PM

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Updated 5,770 days ago

The son of Westchester County Executive Andy Spano has joined the fight to abolish county government, appearing in an ad targeting his father and his tax policies.

The advertisement featuring David Spano was sponsored by Sam Zherka, the controversial publisher of the Westchester Guardian newspaper.

"David Spano loves his father, but he doesn't love Andy Spano, the politician," Zherka says.

Zherka insists the goal of the ad is not to embarrass Andy Spano, saying the three-term county executive "publicly embarrassed himself by making us the highest taxed county in the nation."

Reacting to Zherka's TV ad, in which his son states that taxes in Westchester are spiraling out of control, Andy Spano says it is a family matter.

"My family and my children are very upset about this," he says. "But he's my son and I love him."

Republican political consultant Mike Edelman considers the ad to be out of bounds.

"There is a personal issue between the county executive and his son," he says. "Because sons don't normally come out and say things about their fathers to embarrass them."

Zherka will hold a meeting Thursday in Yonkers for people interested in lowering taxes and eliminating county government.