MAYOR YOUNG AND AND STAFFERS ATTEMPT TO BREAK LAW; LEGAL CHALLENGES EXPECTED

2010 BUDGET UPDATE

Mount Vernon Exposed has learned that Mayor Young and his administration are attempting to break all city laws and ordinances by avoiding public scrutiny of the City of Mount Vernon’s 2010 spending plan.  The City budget, already a month overdue is still not available for public inspection.  It has been reported by sources that are usually reliable; the public hearing before the Board of Estimate and Contracts has been scheduled for December 2^nd, 2009. That leaves very little time for public scrutiny, especially when it is expected that the tax increase will be in excess of 23%.

The Mount Vernon City Charter specifically states that the budget must be available for public inspection no later than October 25^th.  This year October 25^th, fell on a Sunday, so that means the budget should have been available for inspection on October 23^rd, 2009. The City charter mandates that a public hearing must be conducted on or before November 19^th, 2009. If the budget was filed according to the law with the City Clerk, the taxpayers of the City of Mount Vernon would have had 20 business days to inspect the budget and prepare to redress their grievances before their elected officials.  Under the date proposed by Mayor Young and staff, taxpayers have only 4 business days to inspect the 2010 spending plan.

During the past 16 years, this is the latest that the budget has ever been.  It is quite obvious that Mayor Young has no clue how to run this City.  The unqualified, high paying appointees are also of no assistance to Mayor Young.    Taxpayers must wonder as to why there such a long delay with this year’s budget.  Could it be that Mayor Young has realized the financial information provided to him by the Chair of the Budget Committee Marcus Griffith is not accurate? Or did he finally realize that The City of Mount Vernon should not have gone out for bonding in these uncertain economic times?  Whatever the case may be, hopefully a light bulb turned on inside his brain to let him know that he is in over his head.

Mount Vernon Exposed and several other Mount Vernon taxpayers are currently exploring all legal options to fight Mayor Young and his attempt to jam a wretched spending plan down the throats of Mount Vernon taxpayers.  Almost any Judge will agree with Mount Vernon taxpayers and issue a temporary restraining order halting Mayor Young dead in his tracks because 4 days is simply not enough time for taxpayers to analyze a $90M budget.  The current City Council has already let Mount Vernon residents know that they cannot be trusted to make intelligent decisions.  Councilpersons Eileen Justino, Marcus Griffith, William Randolph, and Steve Horton all voted to approve $21M in bond financing without first obtaining financial data from the Comptroller’s office. Mount Vernon taxpayers must remain vigilant against the most corrupt administration in New York State.  Taxpayers that would like to be included in the legal action against Mayor Young and his staff are encouraged to email us at: mountvernonexposed@gmail.com.  Together we will prevail.