Democracy Denied: How Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard Rigged the Charter Commission to Protect Her $200,000 Paycheck

On July 16, 2025, democracy died a quiet death inside Mount Vernon City Hall—not by voter choice, but by calculated sabotage.

The Mount Vernon Charter Review Commission, originally created to evaluate needed reforms in how our city functions, voted against letting residents decide whether to adopt a City Manager system and a professional Finance Commissioner. This was not a vote on the measure itself—it was a vote to allow the public to vote.

And they killed it.

A 15-Month Effort Derailed by Political Interference

Let us be clear: the Commission had already voted 8 to 7 on June 4 to draft the ballot questions. But at the final hour, a second vote—to send the measure and final report to the City Clerk for ballot inclusion—flipped to 8–7 against.

What changed?

Political pressure, plain and simple.

Commissioner Monica Whiting-Hogans, who initially voted yes, reversed her position just weeks later. In her own words, “I changed my vote, and it hurt me, but it changed... I turned to my circle of friends… [as] pressure built from the city’s Democratic establishment to embrace the status quo.”

She didn’t say the policy was flawed. She didn’t cite new facts. She said she didn’t like the “contentious” tone—and so, a 15-month process was overturned by discomfort.

The Mayor’s Front Row Theater

Also present at the meeting—uncharacteristically so—was Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard, seated front and center alongside her loyal ally, Councilmembers Caitlin Gleason and Derrick Thompson. According to Commission Chair Tamala Boyd, who opposed the mayor’s interference, what unfolded was a disturbing show of intimidation:

“There was a sitting councilwoman yelling and screaming from the front row, with the mayor nearby. I don’t have words.”

This wasn’t democracy. It was coercion, designed to shame and silence those who supported reform.

Let’s not forget: the mayor personally appointed seven of the 15 commission members—almost half. Among them? Rosia Blackwell-Lawrence, wife of the city’s Director of Grants, and the mayor’s sorority sister, who also voted against putting the measure to a public vote.

That crowd, stacked with appointees and allies, loudly parroted the administration’s talking points: “It’s not clear!” “We don’t understand it!” And yet, these same voices showed no such concern when the City Council passed new fees—new taxes—without public hearings or detailed explanations. They were silent when the mayor increased her own salary without a voter referendum.

Where was the outrage then?

This wasn’t a fair process. This was rigged from within.

“I Could Be Making a Million Dollars…”

After the vote, Mayor Patterson-Howard had the audacity to portray herself as a public servant making a financial sacrifice, saying:

“I could be somewhere making half a million to a million dollars a year in corporate spaces… but I decided to come home and serve.”

What she failed to mention? In 2024, she granted herself a nearly 40% raise, bringing her salary to $200,000, far higher than her previously reported YMCA salary, which never exceeded $146,000, per public IRS filings.

If the private sector is so lucrative, why hasn’t she gone? Because she can’t. Because politics is the only lane where she can control the narrative and pad her paycheck while avoiding true performance accountability.

And that’s precisely what the City Manager proposal threatened—professional oversight, financial transparency, and a system based on merit, not favoritism.

“We Can’t Turn Over Our Government to Unelected Administrators”

That was the mayor’s excuse. But it’s disingenuous.

What she really means is: “We can’t turn over power to professionals I can’t control.”Because the truth is, the City Council already appoints key positions—from Corporation Counsel to Police Commissioner—none of whom are elected. The fear is not about accountability; it’s about losing political control and, more importantly, losing the $200,000 salary tied to the strong mayor system.

The Latino Community Deflection

Some have claimed the Latino community was not properly engaged. But Commissioner Mary Kingsley, who spoke Spanish at the meeting, stated publicly that she requested Spanish materials and made efforts to ensure accessibility. She admitted, however, that she did not contact Latino groups directly—then added, “It wasn’t up to me.”

This is a poor excuse, not evidence of systemic exclusion.

If voter apathy is the problem, it is a citywide one. After all, fewer than 5,000 residents voted in the recent primary. That is not a Latino issue—it is a Mount Vernon issue, borne from decades of political cynicism, mismanagement, and mistrust.

Former City Council candidate Elvira Castillo added fuel to the fire by injecting race into the debate—suggesting in a public email that 'Hispanics didn’t have a chance to hear about this.' That claim is not only false, it’s offensive. The city widely published notices, held public meetings, and welcomed community input. The truth is that the public did not show up—just as they did not show up to vote in the recent primary, where fewer than 5,000 voters participated.

Blaming low turnout on racial exclusion is not only dishonest—it’s a slap in the face to every community member, Black, brown, or otherwise, who did their homework and participated.

Why It All Matters

The Charter Commission was the best chance Mount Vernon had in years to take power out of the hands of politicians and place it in the hands of professionals—not to override the people, but to make government efficient, ethical, and effective.

What the mayor and her appointees did on July 16 was not about transparency or inclusion. It was about self-preservation.

The residents of Mount Vernon deserved the chance to vote on their own future. Instead, that choice was stolen in broad daylight by the very people who claim to serve us.We will not forget.

Stay informed. Stay engaged. Stay outraged.

This fight isn’t over. The Voice of Mount Vernon will continue to investigate, expose, and educate—until power is restored where it belongs: with the people.

Look for the full LoHud Article by David Wilson https://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/mount-vernon/2025/07/17/mount-vernon-ny-charter-commission-denies-citywide-vote-on-city-manager/85240674007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z11----p119450c119450e009300v117344o11----b0060xxd006065&gca-ft=151&gca-ds=sophi

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