VOTE 2011: MAYORAL CANDIDATES PROFILES; YOU RIGHT TO KNOW

In September voters will go to the polls to either select a new Mayor to move Mount Vernon forward or return Mayor Clinton I Young Jr. to office for another 4 years.  This year’s race will be like no other.  There is a large field of candidates for voters to choose from and re-election for Mayor Young may not be an easy task.

During the last Mayoral election, Mayor Young rode the corruption bandwagon and preached a message that “It is time for a change.”  Almost 4 years later, Mayor Young’s administration is riddled with corruption and the City of Mount Vernon is in financial ruin.  Property taxes are way up while responsiveness from City Hall is at an all time low.   This year’s Mayoral campaign will become very negative at times.  Voters should expect very aggressive mudslinging.  Mount Vernon Exposed™® is your guide to transparency and making the right choice at the polls this September.  Mount Vernon Exposed™® has profiled each candidate that we know of seeking the Office of Mayor.

Here they are:

Mayor Clinton Young Jr. – Mayor Young had a chance to really move Mount Vernon forward for the good of the citizens of Mount Vernon.  From the onset, Mayor Young’s administration has been mired with controversy and corruption.  Whether it is the $95K job he appointed his sister Mary to, DPW Commissioner Terrence Horton and his blatant acts of corruption, or the no show $100K+ Inspector General taxpayers are footing the bill for,  Mayor Young just does not use good judgment.  Corruption further takes a toll on this administration when it was recently revealed that Mayor Young has a personal bag man, Antoine Lowe doing the bidding of Mayor Young by means of extortion and violence. Mayor Young has appointed several unqualified persons to positions in City Hall and has even assisted in the steering of no-bid contracts to his friends and campaign contributors.  John Boykin, the infamous Special Assistant to Mayor Young, has cast a black cloud on the re-election of Mayor Young.  Mayor Young once praised Boykin as the “Braintrust” of his administration.

Comptroller Maureen Walker- Many view Comptroller Walker as the favorite to win the Mayor’s race in 2011.  She is expected to cruise to victory.  Ms. Walker is respected throughout the City of Mount Vernon, especially the business community.  During her past 17 years as Comptroller of the City of Mount Vernon, taxpayers always had an independent voice that always put the best interests of the taxpayers first.  Ms. Walker was not swayed or corrupted by party politics.  Ms. Walker’s expertise and integrity in the City’s finances is an asset to the taxpayers, as she will not have to learn the job, on the job.   City of Mount Vernon taxpayers have enjoyed 10+ years of budget surpluses which have resulted in minimal property tax increases.  In these tough economic times, taxpayers are no longer afforded the luxury of budget surpluses.  Ms. Walkers’ financial expertise is needed to move the City of Mount Vernon forward.

Councilman Yuhanna Edwards- Councilman Edwards is said to be testing the waters and is supposedly eyeing a run at being the next Mayor of The City of Mount Vernon.  Councilman Edwards started the Mount Vernon Razorbacks over thirty years ago.  While Mr. Edwards has an extensive record of community service, many voters feel that he is just not ready to lead the City of Mount Vernon at this time.

Councilman Steve Horton- The Horton family has been drinking from the public water fountain for over two decades. Councilman Horton and his brother, DPW Commissioner Terrence Horton has had several brushes with the law.  It is alleged that Councilman Horton was arrested for obstructing justice while Mount Vernon Police Officers were arresting his brother Terrence for allegedly running down the street naked while on drugs.  These events happened in 1992.  It is unclear if Steve Horton will quit his job as Executive Director of The New Rochelle Municipal Housing Authority.  A complaint was filed against Steve Horton with the United Office of Special Counsel about Steve Horton’s hatch act violation.  Councilman Horton, according to voter interviewed by Mount Vernon Exposed™® doesn’t stand a chance because of his younger brother Terrence Horton’s reputation of being “hopelessly corrupt”.

Frank Fraley- Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce President Frank Fraley is reportedly considering a run for Mayor.  Fraley was Chief of Staff under Mayor Ernie Davis and recently Vice President of Mount Vernon hospital.  It was revealed recently that Fraley is a convicted federal felon.  Fraley was convicted of a felony in 1994 after he plead guilty of trying to defraud the I.R.S. out of $200,000 by filing phony tax returns.  Although this happened almost twenty years ago, many voters told Mount Vernon Exposed that they are reluctant to vote for a convicted felon.  While many including President Obama, believe in giving someone a second chance for their past mistakes, some are not buying into this theory.  Fraley’s co-defendant in the I.R.S. fraud case Douglas Shyne, was arrested again and convicted in 2009 for being the ringleader of a massive $8M fraudulent check ring.  The scam involved high profile Olympic gold medalist Marion Jones who was also sentenced to federal prison in the scheme.  Shyne was sentenced to 140 months in federal prison.  Douglas Shyne’s relapse into the life of crime was almost 20 years later after his arrest with Fraley.  Some feel having Fraley in charge of a $90M budget is just a risk they are not willing to take at this time. (see arrest docket below)

Peter Sherrill- Mr. Sherrill was the first of all the candidates to publicly announce his intentions of running for office.  Sherrill is the former Director of Civil Defense for The City of Mount Vernon.  Mr. Sherrill is the author of several books, of which one “Black to the Future” was inducted into the Schomburg Museum Library.  Citizens view Mr. Sherrill as a nice, likeable guy, but voters that spoke to Mount Vernon Exposed™® expressed concerns that Mr. Sherrill just doesn’t have the experience to lead The City of Mount Vernon.



Frank Fraley Arrest Docket