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January 10, 2010
City's new image takes a hit
The Journal News [LoHud.com]
By Ernie Garcia
Here is commentary on alleged misdeeds in getting a Yonkers councilwoman to approve Forest City Ratner's Ridge Hill project.
In the past decade public officials have carefully crafted an image of a Yonkers on the rise.
Significant development, improving schools, better shopping and the slow but steady reinvention of downtown all promised a city that would overcome its decades-old reputation as a segregated, corrupt place.
That 21st-century profile took a blow last week with the indictment of a former councilwoman and two political insiders on charges of public corruption, extortion and tax evasion.
The charges stemmed from two development projects in the city — the $630 million Ridge Hill development and the smaller Longfellow school redevelopment project. Former Democratic Councilwoman Sandy Annabi, former Yonkers Republican Chairman Zehy Jereis and attorney Anthony Mangone were accused Wednesday of conspiring to sell Annabi's votes on the two proposals.
Jereis and Annabi were charged in both developments; Mangone was charged in the Longfellow project.
Annabi, 39, is accused of accepting more than $166,000 in cash, house and car payments, airline upgrades, a Rolex watch and a diamond-studded crucifix.
Jereis allegedly got a $60,000 consulting job from Forest City Ratner in exchange for Annabi's deciding vote for the Ridge Hill project, and he's accused of passing along bribes to her. And Mangone received $10,000 in the scam, prosecutors say.
Posted by steve at January 10, 2010 8:51 AM