Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano is leading the charge to end what he calls a lack of transparency among the firefighters union, which he says could be breaking the law. He says the union is ripping off taxpayers to the tune of $10 million.

Under state law, the Yonkers Firefighters Union gets a cut of a tax on fire insurance policies, but the money has to go to indigent and disabled firefighters. In 2016, that meant $2 million for the union.

Spano says the Yonkers Mutual Aid Association, which is run by Local 628 Yonkers Firefighters, spent those millions in tax dollars on things such as gym memberships, dinner dances, copays at doctor’s offices and even cups of coffee.

The union is pleading ignorance to the 100-year-old law, but Spano is calling on the state comptroller and the attorney general to conduct a "forensic audit" to find out where some of the $10 million was spent over the past few years.

In response, Local 628 Yonkers Firefighters president Barry McGoey called Spano's accusations baseless and outrageous.

"Any comments by Mayor Spano prior to the release of the comptroller’s report are premature and improper,” he said in part. “The union is entitled to respond to the comptroller's report before being ambushed and unfairly attacked in the press by Mayor Spano."

The mayor wants to change the law to put that 2 percent tax back in the hands of the city of Yonkers.

The state comptroller's office says it is aware of Mayor Spano's request and is already conducting an audit of the Yonkers firefighters union. The office hopes to complete it sometime this fall.