Albany, N.Y. (January 28, 2008)—Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone will testify before a joint budget committee of the state legislature today about the impact of the proposed 2008 – 09 state budget on the city and its school district. His remarks will outline Yonkers’ current fiscal situation and press the legislature for an additional $35 million worth of education funding.

Amicone’s testimony before a joint meeting of the Assembly Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees will take place at 12:00 noon in Hearing Room B of the Legislative Office Building.

The mayor of New York’s fourth largest city, Amicone has been making weekly lobbying trips to the State Capitol to press for an ongoing investment of state resources in Yonkers’ continuing economic resurgence. This is his first formal appearance before a session of the legislature this year and his second lobbying trip since the release of Governor Eliot Spitzer’s Executive Budget, which was released on January 22.

“Yonkers is a growing city that’s literally building its way to financial solvency and away from dependency on New York State; but we’re not there yet. The governor’s budget made some improvements, but there is much more to be done in the way of operating and capital funding for our public school system to adequately meet our needs. I’ve provided the governor and now the legislature with a plan that is putting Yonkers on firm financial footing and have identified specific areas of the budget that will help us achieve that plan. I am hopeful the state will respond favorably and continue their investment in our city,” Amicone said.