Trolling for Pay in Yonkers

Former Yonkers, N.Y., deputy mayor William Regan, who received a controversial last-minute spike in pay, also attempted in vain to receive thousands of extra dollars in unemployment pay, the Journal News of Westchester County reported.

According to the newspaper, Regan, one month after he left office Jan. 5, filed a claim with the New York Department of Labor that, if approved, would have forced the distressed city to pay as much as $10,500 over six months for unemployment insurance benefits.

The Journal News, citing documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, reported that Yonkers’ human resources department asked the state to deny the request.

The department said Regan was “formerly the “highest ranking non-elected official” and “was one of three individuals within the executive branch of city government who was involved in virtually all aspects of citywide policymaking decisions.”

According to the newspaper, Regan at the time was also collecting his annual pension of $109,500.

In early January, he received a final paycheck for $40,200, which reflected a five-fold salary increase that a former City Hall colleague had quietly approved in the final days of the last administration.

Mike Spano became Yonkers’ new mayor on Jan. 1. An independent budget commission has projected a $465 million shortfall for the 200,000-population city over three years.

Moody’s Investors Service last October lowered the city’s general obligation bond rating to Baa1 from A2, and dropped its outlook to negative from stable.

Regan told the newspaper that he never expected approval for unemployment insurance, but that “other people” who were recipients had told him to “protect your rights.”

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