What is going on with Mount Vernon’s Money?
What is going on with Mount Vernon’s money?
Why is everyone afraid to hold the Comptroller accountable?
Listening to Jerry Kremer, I tried quiet appeasement for many months… then slowly but surely escalated matters into court with the support of the City Council. And won in court!!! But politics prevented enforcement of the orders.
#NowThis — Jesse Van Lew posts that #SaveMountVernon is addressing the issue with the Comptroller.
Great.
What happened before?
What’s different between then and now? No Garbage trucks were not enough?
I support MVPD, MVFD, DPW and all organized labor to get properly paid on time.
Kronos “not working” is a sorry excuse.
In a world of PayPal, Apple Pay, Venmo, CashApp… paying employees/vendors for serving the people should not be a single person’s decision to deny because they feel like it.
#Paythebills or… perhaps, someone should get the #CourtOrders enforced?
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Here are some of the comments I received in reply to the above:
Darlene Sydnor Pierce: I do not understand, when Richard Thomas was Mayor, everyone was trying to remove him, screaming corruption, he’s gone and it’s still going on, I bet the people could just kick their selves now.
Darlene Sydnor Pierce: that was all, to take him down they didn’t give him a chance they started from day one he became Mayor, He was doing a lot for our children and they are our future, not the people who supported the most corrupt Mayor Mount Vernon has ever seen (I will leave his name out) that was where all the problems came from.
Tom Parker: Darlene Sydnor Pierce — I agree. It’s very strange to watch. There was a lot of opposition to the Thomas administration and yet, both Wallace and Howard have duplicated everything he proposed. Even the budget request is the same (chief of staff, building department employees, money for sewers). It’s bizarro-land.
I’m a finance-nerd so I watch the discussions about audits, budgeting, etc very closely. I can’t believe that this city has no record of actual government expenditures available for the taxpayer.
Quite frankly, the citizens should be alarmed.
Kathy McCartin: What I find ironic is a Comptroller not authorizing paying of Town bills. And, what Rich was dealing with was his campaign account and not Mt. Vernon money. May not been right of him to use campaign funds for personal use, but doesn’t mean corrupt. He had paid the price. As for the current Mayor and Board, remember you have a voice in November.
Mayor Richard Thomas: Kathy McCartin — please read this public statement on the issue and let me know what you think: https://medium.com/.../a-cautionary-tale-for-new-york...
Kathy McCartin: Mayor Richard Thomas , I figured that is what happened. Though I have never wanted to run for office, just having read what you need to file for financial disclosure etc had me thinking the IRS is mild. 🤣 I also find that politics can be fickle and a mistake is made when we put elected officials and candidates on the same pedestal we put clergy. We can make mistakes and in filing with BOEs, it’s very easy. Then, politics comes in to either defend, or crucify, someone when it comes to campaign finance. I can understand public mistrust of politics. Yet, many of us involved in politics want to see good things happen and help our communities. Either as a candidate/elected or helping a candidate/elected. So, Rich, I know you fought hard to become Mayor and fought hard to help Mt. Vernon. I’m from Rockland and we met once when you came to Rockland for an event Cuomo had. Keep plugging and may 2020 be a good year for you and your family.
Mayor Richard Thomas: Kathy McCartin many thanks. And glad you got the context. Bottom line is when you question money you get attacked by it.
Kathy McCartin: Mayor Richard Thomas , that is a common problem.
Tom Parker: This I agree with. Campaign finance in NYS is a maze and many elected officials make errors. That’s why the Board of Elections exist…. to evaluate filings and levy fines if errors are made. This whole thing is very strange to me.
Pyro Toglia: I don’t believe it was wrong for Thomas to have used personal campaign money as long as he wasn’t taking it from the citizens of Mt Vernon, and for them to have made a huge spectacle of it was wrong, I didn’t see them do a darn thing to Ernest D. Davis now that was a real Thief in over $106,743 in adjusted gross income Tax evasion, and $2 million missing from the city’s Section 8 program.. and than Davis has the nerve to try and run again for Mayor this year??
I guess the only problem and mistake was that Thomas didnt share it with other crooks and thieves like this, instead Thomas humbly held his campaign in the heart of Mt Vernon, and supporting to open Slide in the City, Winter Wonderland, and even the Circus programs he did a lot for us citizens. God bless Mayor Richard Thomas I support him and will Vote for him again!
John Witherspoon: Carry on Mr. Mayor!
