Teachers union endorses Spano ahead of election

The future of Yonkers public schools was the focus Wednesday as the city's mayoral election nears. The Yonkers Federation of Teachers, the city's largest union, endorsed incumbent Democratic Mayor

News 12 Staff

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Oct 27, 2015, 12:35 AM

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Updated 3,348 days ago

The future of Yonkers public schools was the focus Wednesday as the city's mayoral election nears.

The Yonkers Federation of Teachers, the city's largest union, endorsed incumbent Democratic Mayor Mike Spano for re-election.

Spano's opponent, Republican Bill Nuckel, says that Spano's approach is all wrong when it comes to the city's 41 public schools.

"The mayor is not doing a good job with education," Nuckel says. "He's a lot of talk about it but when it comes to effectively managing it, he is not doing a good job."

The former councilman claims that Spano relies on last-minute bailouts every year from the state to balance the budget instead of going after the root of the problem.

"Every year it's the same thing. We come up with a budget shortfall based on formula, not facts," Nuckel says.

Spano points to Roosevelt High School as proof of improving schools, where the graduation rate recently jumped from 66 to 81 percent.