Wow!! And here are the results: MEDIA ADVISORY City Council Rolls Over to Pass 19.0% Total Tax Hike for FY 2013; Councilman Thomas says, “Fiscal Mismanagement at its Worst” Mayor, Comptroller received $6.6 million transfer to close FY 2013 budget gaps MT. VERNON, NY (September 11, 2014) – In a three to one vote, the Mt. Vernon City Council rolled over to pass a 19% total tax hike on residents for the fiscal year 2013. The Council held a special meeting earlier this evening, Thursday, September 11, at 5:45 PM and passed legislation requested by Comptroller Maureen Walker and Mayor Ernest Davis to transfer $6,600,430 in additional monies to cover expenditures beyond the FY 2013 budget limit. In 2013, the City of Mt. Vernon budget $96,395,026.00 which included a 6.5% tax hike. Based on the transfer request, Mt. Vernon spent $102,995,456.00 in 2013, resulting in an overture of $6,600,430.00. The Comptroller’s and Mayor’s transfer request did not contain an explanation or source of where the additional $6.6 million is being transferred from. According to the City Auditors, Mt. Vernon had a mere $2.4 million in its fund balance at the end of 2012 and it remains unclear how much money was left in the fund balance as of the end of 2013. “This is fiscal mismanagement at its worst,” said Councilman Thomas. He added, “The additional $6.6 million will have to come from somewhere and there are no answers from the Mayor or Comptroller and I am deeply disappointed that the Council rolled over on this. My sole no vote was for the people of Mt. Vernon and I will continue to take a stand against irresponsible management of city resources.” “Mt. Vernon lost millions due to mismanagement in the past, and another $6.6 million in tax hikes is being put on the backs of a struggling tax base without regard for the negative impact it will have on the economy or families working to make ends meet,” Councilman Thomas concluded. Summary information is provided below. # # # Highlights from the attached transfer request which resulted in a 19% total tax hike for 2013 includes: The City’s appropriated $96,395,000 for 2013, and spent $102,301,605.48. (See last page of PDF.) The $6.6 million transfer is without explanation on its source or how much it will cost the city to pay back, equating to a 12.5% tax hike on top of the previously passed 6.5% making a total 19% tax hike for 2013. Tax refunds amounted to $3,000,000 in payments for over-taxing property owners. The Fire Department was originally allocated 13,405,877 but the administration subtracted a total $429,506.81 from its budget, cannibalizing an already understaffed department. The document contains little to no information on the amount of money spent on Memorial Field or 12 other pet projects overseen by the administration. Link to FY 2014 adopted City budget to verify numbers.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 22:59:28 +0000
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