Reports indicate that the Mayor and City Council plan to rush through eight more destructive PILOT developments before the end of the year.
Mount Vernon officials are expected to act in Mount Vernon's best interest, especially when approving financial incentives like PILOTs (Payments in Lieu of Taxes). However, there are real concerns that personal and political benefits are influencing PILOT decisions.
What’s a PILOT?A PILOT agreement is a deal where developers pay a set fee to the city, instead of paying property taxes. Developers end up paying millions of dollars less than they’d otherwise pay, leaving Mount Vernon financially strapped.
Do Mount Vernon Officials Benefit Personally?- Legally: Officials are not supposed to benefit personally. That would be corruption or a conflict of interest, but Mount Vernon has corruption issues.
- Developers are making campaign contributions, and then are receiving PILOT agreements from a city that is hurting financially.
Mount Vernon’s History - Mount Vernon has a checkered past with political scandals and corruption:
- Former officials have faced investigations.
- The Industrial Development Agency (IDA) which handles PILOTs has been criticized for lack of transparency.
- The city of Mount Vernon has faced scrutiny for how these deals are handled.
If you're trying to assess whether something shady is happening with PILOTS in Mount Vernon, look for:
- Lack of public input or rushed approvals.
- Developers who donate to Mount Vernon Officials, receiving PILOTS
- Repeated deals going to connected individuals.
- No clear benefit to the community (no local jobs, high crime, a strain on the sewer system, a strain on the school system, taxpayers required to pay the bill, etc)
Why Mount Vernon Residential PILOTs Hurt the City- Loss of Tax Revenue
- PILOTs allow developers to pay far less than their fair share of property taxes, hurting schools, fire services, and public infrastructure that still need funding.
- Unfair to Residents and Small Businesses
- Regular taxpayers don’t get a break. They end up shouldering the cost for services while developers benefit.
- Poor Oversight or Transparency
- Some PILOT deals are made behind closed doors or with little community input, leading to suspicions of corruption or cronyism.
- Broken Promises.
- Missing PILOT revenue.
So why do Mount Vernon officials continue to hand out PILOTs, even though they severely harm our city? Because these deals benefit the officials themselves. They have no regard for the community’s best interests. |
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