A New Revenue Strategy Targeting Homeowners That Will Also Impact Renters
The warning signs are here.The City Of Mount Vernon just added higher fees on water bills. They also added a charge for bulk items to be picked up by the Department of Public Works, a service historically included as part of the normal property tax burden. There is now a cap on how much a city Judge can reduce tickets, forcing residents to pay much higher ticket fees. An elderly resident was recently seen crying while leaving the courtroom, because her ticket charges were too high for her to pay.
The city is rolling out an over 5% property tax increase, pushing thousands of households further toward the financial edge. Note, when extra fees are taken into account, Mount Vernon homeowners have been hit with an over 55% tax increase during Shawyn Patterson Howard's Tenure.
Because the City still owes the school district tens of millions of dollars that they kept and misused, residents should also expect a significant tax increase from the schools.
The Patterson Howard administration’s most aggressive tactic is still ahead.According to multiple sources inside city hall, the city is preparing to unleash an aggressive campaign of housing inspections, issuing a wave of violations aimed at homeowners, especially elderly residents, long time property owners, and those living paycheck to paycheck.
The goal?To raise revenue, and to "push people out", at the direction of developers who control city politics, and shell out kickbacks to our politicians.
“Kicking Down Doors While Their Own Buildings Crumble”
If the city’s crackdown is rooted in a genuine concern for health and safety, the city’s own properties would be models of compliance. They are not.Investigators found that some of the worst maintained buildings in Mount Vernon are owned by Mount Vernon itself.
City Hall: A Building in Crisis
Inside the city’s most important building:- The staircase wall between the first and second floors appears structurally compromised due to water damage. It has been this way for years
- Lead based paint chips peel from the walls, an obvious hazard to children, the public, and workers.
- The roof leaks.
- Interior damage and reported mold spreads unchecked through multiple departments.
Yet the same administration preparing to fine homeowners for cracked steps or faded paint has allowed its own headquarters to deteriorate into a safety hazard.
Police and Courts: Floods, Leaks, and System Failures
It’s not just City Hall.Residents and employees report that:- The Police Department leaks and floods.
- The courthouse leaks, creating unsafe conditions for staff and visitors.
- The HVAC system in key buildings have been out of service for years, forcing workers to endure extreme temperatures.
Firehouses: Engines Ready, Buildings NotMount Vernon’s firefighters, emergency responders who risk their lives daily, are being housed in compromised buildings.- The Oak Street firehouse was shut down due to dangerous structural conditions.
- The Third Street firehouse is reported to have serious ongoing building issues, including a lack of heat.
- Other firehouses across the city suffer from unsafe, deteriorating conditions.
Parking Garages: Decay and AbandonmentEvery major municipal garage in Mount Vernon shows signs of severe deterioration. Concrete crumbles, support beams are exposed, lighting fails, and the structures have been overtaken by the homeless and addicts seeking shelter in the dark, collapsing corridors.
Roads That Time ForgotFulton Avenue near 3rd Street, a major artery has been closed for years, pushing traffic onto Columbus Ave, and commercial traffic to Franklin Ave, a residential street. This causes major traffic jams, and danger as County buses are now forced to barrel up streets occupied by playing children.
Where Did the Money Go?The central question hangs over every every frustrated citizen's conversations:
With all these fees, hikes, and penalties, where is the money goings?
Critics say the answer is both simple and damning:Millions in taxpayer dollars have been given to private developers.These developers, who are political donors, are now positioned to build units intended "not for Mount Vernon families", but for incoming renters from across the tri state area. This will strain schools, social programs, infrastructure, and emergency services, while longtime residents watch their own needs ignored.
A Government Turned Against Its ResidentsInstead of fixing:- the leaking police station
- the collapsing City Hall staircase
- the rotting firehouses
- the crumbling garages
- the streets closed for years
- The citywide flooding
- the administration has chosen a different path.
The mayor and City Council have turned their power toward the people they swore to serve, weaponizing inspections, fines, fees, and taxes to squeeze homeowners dry. The city isn’t just failing to protect its residents.It is actively driving them out.
The Bottom Line
Mount Vernon is becoming a city where:- developers thrive,
- city buildings crumble,
- homeowners are targeted,
- seniors live in fear of violations,
- and long term residents are priced out of their own community.
The questions now facing Mount Vernon are simple but urgent:- Who is this city being run for?
- Who is benefitting?
- Who is being sacrificed?
Why does the Building Department allow non employees to operate inside its offices, shaking down residents for “expedited” permits while others are forced to wait months, or even years for the same approvals? Why are these so called expeditors reportedly permitted to pressure homeowners into paying inflated penalties for bogus or exaggerated violations?
The Answer Is Clear
The City Of Mount Vernon Is Being Run By Developers Determined To Price Our Citizens From Their Homes
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