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The Commuter Tax Proposal: Legally Suspect, Politically Dead, and Missing the Point

Mayor Patterson-Howard's latest revenue idea has a problem. Several, actually.

Mount Vernon's proposed commuter tax is dead on arrival in Albany and unconstitutional under existing precedent. So why is the mayor pushing it anyway?
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The 2026 State of the City That Wasn’t

Mount Vernon’s 2026 Address Ignored Bankruptcy Warnings, Police Scandals, and $44 Million in Lost Tax Revenue. Here’s What the Mayor Didn’t Say.

The mayor said Mount Vernon is "thriving." The comptroller says it could be bankrupt within two years. We fact-checked the 2026 State of the City address.
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City Hall’s Private Charities

How Mount Vernon Officials Built Two Nonprofits to Fund Themselves with Your Money

Two city-employee-run nonprofits operate out of the same room in Mount Vernon City Hall. The Comptroller leads both — and approved $60,000 in federal funds to one of them. Public records reveal deep conflicts of interest and zero public oversight.
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The Austerity Budget That Wasn’t

Mount Vernon is operating under what City officials describe as “austerity budget protocols.”

Mount Vernon officials approved $20,800 in conference travel, a Las Vegas junket for a Building Commissioner whose department is in shambles, and a portrait ceremony — all while claiming austerity.
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If It’s Administrative, Why Create It?

City Hall Ignores Austerity Budget and Lowers the Bar for Civil Service

Mount Vernon’s new infrastructure chief raises questions about executive power, consultant costs, and long-term fiscal risk. Who really pays?
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New York: The State of “There’s Nothing We Can Do.”

Mount Vernonites deserve more than Press Releases

New York State claims oversight over Mount Vernon — but never enforces it. When every agency passes the buck, residents have one option: fix it ourselves.
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Charter Amended to Codify Mayor’s Chief of Staff Roles

Positions Written into the Charter Without a Voter Referendum

Mount Vernon quietly amended its City Charter to codify the Mayor’s Chief of Staff roles—without a voter referendum—raising serious legal and democratic concerns.
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