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Mike Spano
Spano at the 2012 St. Patrick's Day parade in Yonkers
42nd Mayor of Yonkers
Assumed office
January 1, 2012
DeputySteve Levy
Preceded byPhil Amicone
Member of the New York State Assembly
In office
January 1, 1992 – December 31, 2011
Preceded byTerence Zaleski
Succeeded byShelley Mayer
Constituency83rd district (1992)
87th district (1995–2004)
93rd district (2007–2011)
Personal details
Born
Michael Joseph Spano

(1964-04-22) April 22, 1964 (age 59)
Yonkers, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic (2007–present)
Republican (until 2007)
SpouseMary Calvi
RelativesNick Spano (brother)
Leonard Spano (father)
ResidenceYonkers, New York
WebsiteOfficial website
Campaign website

Michael Joseph Spano[1] (born April 22, 1964) is an American politician who is the 42nd mayor of Yonkers, New York. He is a member of the Democratic Party. A former Republican, he served as a member of the New York State Assembly.

Biography

Born and raised in Yonkers, New York,[2] Spano is the ninth of sixteen children born to Josephine and Leonard Spano (1930–2019).[3][4] Spano was first elected to the New York State Assembly in 1992 as the assembly's youngest member. Due to the state's reapportionment plan, his seat was eliminated later that same year.[5] However, he ran again in 1994 and continued to serve in the New York State Assembly for nearly a decade until he chose not to run for re-election.[6]

Within the private sector, Spano worked for a New York governmental relations firm and served on the Board of Directors for Leake and Watts Services.[7] After his children became school-aged, he decided to return to public service and ran successfully once again for the State Assembly where he represented the people of Yonkers in the 93rd Assembly District.

On November 8, 2011, Spano was elected as mayor of the City of Yonkers, New York.[8] During his tenure, Spano has passed two consecutive bipartisan budgets that included historic investment in education and kept taxes within the New York State property tax cap.[9]

He was reelected to a second term as mayor in 2015.[10]

In 2019, Spano was reelected to a third term as mayor following a revision in the city charter which overturned term limits by the Yonkers City Council.[11] Spano had previously said he would not seek a third term, stating, "even if they did overturn term limits, as much as I love being mayor, I wouldn’t seek a third term."[12]

In 2022, the Yonkers City Council voted to extend term limits for the second time for Mayor Spano. Citizens of Yonkers challenged the extension in New York State court, but the change in local law was upheld.[13]

In May 2023, the Westchester County District Attorney's Office received a letter calling for an ethics investigation into alleged "nepotism, abuse of taxpayer dollars, corruption and abuse of power" under Spano's administration.[14] The letter was prompted by media reports regarding Spano family members employed by the City of Yonkers.[15] As of April 27, 2023, it was reported that at least 15 members of the Spano family were employed by the City of Yonkers, with the family collectively earning "at least $2 million annually" from the City.[16] Spano has denied the allegations.[17]

Spano is also a member of numerous community organizations such as the Yonkers Chamber of Commerce, Access Westchester, Exchange Club of Yonkers, Sons of Italy, and an Honorary Member (non-veteran) of the Armando Rauso AMVETS Post.[18] He is also a former member of the board of directors of Westchester School for Special Children and donor to the Luis Pani foundation.[18]

Spano appeared on the TV show Impractical Jokers during Murr's punishment that took place at Yonkers City Hall in the episode "Speech Impediment".[19]

A lifelong Yonkers resident, Spano is married to CBS newscaster Mary Calvi and has three children.

References

  1. ^ Skipper, Kisha (January 9, 2023). "Westchester Black Women's Political Caucus Yonkers Chapter 2023 New Year Event". The Yonkers Ledger. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  2. ^ Mark Lungariello (October 31, 2014). "Mike Spano and Mary Calvi find the time". Wag Magazine. retrieved December 11, 2014
  3. ^ Thomas C. Zambito (February 10, 2019). "Leonard Spano, patriarch of Westchester County blue-collar political dynasty, dies". The Journal News.
  4. ^ Kirk Semple (July 25, 2004). "Spano Says He Heeds Siren Call of Family Life". The New York Times
  5. ^ "Republican Wins Assembly Seat in Yonkers". The New York Times. Associated Press. 1992-02-19. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  6. ^ "Happy Birthday To Yonkers' Mike Spano". Yonkers Daily Voice. 2016-04-22. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
  7. ^ "Mike Spano". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  8. ^ "Democrat Mike Spano claims victory in Yonkers mayoral race". News 12 - Westchester. November 9, 2011. Retrieved 2020-10-20.
  9. ^ "Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano Proposes Fiscal Year 2018 Executive Budget". Yonkers Tribune. 2017-04-14. Retrieved 2020-04-19.
  10. ^ Ernie Garcia (November 3, 2015). "Spano wins another term as Yonkers mayor". The Journal News. retrieved December 16, 2017
  11. ^ "Election 2019: Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano wins third term in landslide". lohud.com. 2019-11-05. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
  12. ^ "Is Mayor Mike Spano running for a 3rd Term?". 15 June 2017.
  13. ^ "Appeals Court Rules Against Voters Wanting Term Limits Referendum". The Yonkers Ledger. 2023-06-24. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
  14. ^ "Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano faces calls for ethics investigation into "nepotism, abuse of taxpayer dollars, corruption and abuse of power"". 5 May 2023.
  15. ^ "Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano faces calls for ethics investigation into "nepotism, abuse of taxpayer dollars, corruption and abuse of power"". 5 May 2023.
  16. ^ "A Comment on Ethics Regarding the Spano Family in Government". 27 April 2023.
  17. ^ "Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano faces calls for ethics investigation into "nepotism, abuse of taxpayer dollars, corruption and abuse of power"". CBS News. 5 May 2023.
  18. ^ a b "Mike Spano". Good News!. 2013-06-20. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
  19. ^ "Yonkers mayor Mike Spano to appear on Impractical Jokers". lohud.com. 2018-08-02. Retrieved 2024-02-07.

External links

New York State Assembly Preceded byTerence M. Zaleski Member of the New York State Assemblyfrom the 83rd district 1992 Succeeded byLarry Seabrook Preceded byCecile D. Singer Member of the New York State Assemblyfrom the 87th district 1995–2002 Succeeded byJ. Gary Pretlow Preceded bySamuel Colman Member of the New York State Assemblyfrom the 93rd district 2003–2004 Succeeded byLouis Mosiello Preceded byLouis Mosiello Member of the New York State Assemblyfrom the 93rd district 2007–2011 Succeeded byShelley Mayer Political offices Preceded byLeonard Spano Member of the Westchester County Board of Legislatorsfrom the 14th district 1994 Succeeded byBernice Spreckman Preceded byPhil Amicone Mayor of Yonkers, New York 2012–present Succeeded byIncumbent
Mayors of cities with populations exceeding 100,000 in New York
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