YONKERS, NY: Spano Patronage - Another Spano rises in Albany

Another of the Yonkers Spano clan, John, has popped up in the top ranks of state officials. Spano, the 50-year-old brother of Sen. Nicholas Spano and former (and maybe future) Assemblyman Michael Spano,(and son of former County Clerk Leonard Spano) was nominated by Gov. George Pataki Friday to be the state's Office of General Services Commissioner.John Spano is a career civil servant who has been a deputy commissioner of the agency, which provides support services like purchasing, space management and maintenance to the state government, since Pataki took office in 1995. He worked for the Westchester Department of General Services for 14 years before that.Spano's tenure is likely to be short in the new post, since Pataki is leaving at the end of the year and whoever is elected governor in November will likely replace him.It's also not clear when he'll actually take on the role, since he has to be confirmed by the Senate, which isn't now in session and is unlikely to be before September at the earliest.He's probably in no hurry, since he makes $151,000 in his present job but would take a $15,000 cut in annual pay for the new post. Commissioner's salaries are tied to that of the Legislature and governor, and haven't been raised since 1998.Nevertheless, holding the title of commissioner even briefly could be seen as a fitting cap to his career in state government.