Mount Vernon Residents Are Paying the Highest Taxes in Westchester—Enough is Enough!

If you're a Mount Vernon resident, the following statistics should make your blood boil. Of the six cities in Westchester County, Mount Vernon has, by far, the highest tax rate per $1,000 of assessed value in 2024:

1. Mount Vernon: $501.26 per $1,000

2. Yonkers: $345.17 per $1,000

3. Peekskill: $289.25 per $1,000

4. New Rochelle: $258.51 per $1,000

5. White Plains: $244.18 per $1,000

6. Rye: $203.99 per $1,000

Mount Vernon taxpayers are being crushed under the weight of the highest tax rates in the county, and yet, despite this burden, our city continues to suffer from crumbling infrastructure, struggling businesses, and municipal services that are stretched beyond their limits. How is this possible? Because while hardworking residents are paying more than ever, wealthy developers—Friends of the current administration—are receiving enormous tax breaks that leave you footing the bill.

Developers Profit, Residents Pay the Price

Over the past several years, politically connected developers have been granted PILOTs (Payments in Lieu of Taxes)—sweetheart deals that allow them to pay a fraction of what they should in property taxes, often for 20 to 30 years! This means that while luxury residential buildings continue to rise, their occupants are not contributing their fair share toward Mount Vernon's schools, roads, sanitation, and emergency services. Instead, that burden falls squarely on you—the residents who have been here, paying your fair share and more.

At the same time, these new residents are spending their money in neighboring cities, boosting their local economies while business after business in Mount Vernon shutters its doors. Without a strong economic development plan, our city is hemorrhaging businesses, jobs, and tax revenue—leaving only the everyday taxpayers to carry the financial load.

It's Time for Real Change in Mount Vernon

The people of Mount Vernon deserve leadership that prioritizes them, not wealthy insiders. We must put an end to backroom deals that benefit only a select few while the rest of us struggle to keep up with skyrocketing taxes and diminishing services. We need leaders who will:

• Reform PILOT agreements to ensure developers pay their fair share.

• Attract and support businesses that will invest in Mount Vernon, keeping our money in our city.

• Implement responsible tax policies that ease the burden on residents and ensure a more equitable distribution of revenue.

The choice is clear: If we keep electing Friends of the Administration, nothing will change. Mount Vernon needs new leadership that is truly committed to the people. The time for change is now!