This past Friday was another illustration of the uncertainty surrounding Mount Vernon's public safety initiative when Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard released a statement that former Police Commissioner Glenn Scott resigned despite never submitting a letter of resignation. The residents of Mount Vernon have endured 3 ½ years of public safety leadership characterized as an Abbott and Costello’s skit of who's on first, what's coming second, and I don’t know who's in charge third. If the Mayor is incapable of being honest about something as simple as firing the Public Safety Commissioner, how can the public have trust in anything the Mayor says?
Despite the chaos surrounding the police department, I do thank you Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard for holding the press conference on Monday May 8th around the uptick in violence in the city of Mount Vernon. However, it is unfortunate that it took my article on Friday May 5th to bring to your attention that the City of Mount Vernon is in crisis.
As we approach the upcoming election, I anticipate more of the same disingenuous behavior by the Mayor and her administration. During my previous campaign four years ago, Shawyn Patterson Howard's team falsely accused me of not being a Democrat, despite running in the Democratic primary. I have always been a Democrat and attached you will find my 1997 voter registration card, proving that I have always been a Democrat and served as your councilman from 2016-2019 and interim Mayor.
Dirty tricks and misleading the public distracts from the real issues faced by our city thanks to the current administration such as high crime, high taxes, broken sewers and roads, an absence in quality of life and a dysfunctional building department. My Campaign focuses on solving the real issues, not smooth double talk.
When elected as Mayor, I have a plan to eliminate unnecessary property tax increases, garbage fees, sewer fees, added water fees and the mayor’s salary increases. We’ll attract companies to relocate to our city providing employment opportunities and corporate sales taxes. Create support networks for formerly incarcerated citizens, assisting them with housing, counseling, job training and employment. Work closely with county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to remove illegal guns and other illegal activity off our streets.
I will increase police presence by hiring 40 additional Police Officers within the first 18 months of my administration. Change rotating shifts to steady tours, promoting officer wellness and reducing overtime costs. We will negotiate salaries and benefits for our Police Officers to be compatible with other municipalities to prevent the continuous "badge drain." Review police policies, procedures, and training to ensure that the Mount Vernon Police Department operates within National Policing Standards. Finally, I plan to obtain grants for city-wide security cameras and gunshot detection systems.
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