Board of Estimate & Contract:
RESOLVED, that an ordinance adopted by the City Council on June 11, 2025, and signed by the Mayor on June 12, 2025, approving the Cancellation of Delinquent Taxes and Interest for the Westchester Muslim Center, Inc., Located at 22 Brookfield Road, Mount Vernon, NY 10552 - (Tax Map ID: 165.26-2142-4) - (the total amount of taxes and interest fees billed and due for this period is $422,965.63, with taxes of $194,112.34 and interest of $228,853.29)); be, and the same is hereby approved.
City Council:
AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE CANCELLATION
OF DELINQUENT TAXES AND INTEREST FOR THE
WESTCHESTER MUSLIM CENTER, INC., LOCATED AT
22 BROOKFIELD ROAD, MOUNT VERNON, NY 10552
(TAX MAP ID: 165.26-2142-4)
Whereas, in a letter dated June 2, 2025, the Commissioner of the Department of Assessment formally requested authorization for the City Comptroller to make all necessary entries and adjustments in the City’s financial records to reflect the cancellation of these taxes and interest for the Westchester Muslim Center, Inc. (the “Center”), a not-for-profit religious institution, that owns property located at 22 Brookfield Road, Mount Vernon, New York (Tax Map ID: 165.26-2142-4); and
Whereas, due to a clerical error, the subject property was erroneously included in the “taxable” portion of the 1994 City Assessment Roll for City taxes, and the not-for-profit exemption was removed from the exempt portion of said roll; and
Whereas, this error resulted in the improper levy of City taxes in the amount of Thirty-Four Thousand Five Hundred Sixty-Five Dollars ($34,565.00) and accrued interest in the amount of One Hundred Ninety-Four Thousand Four Hundred Twenty-Eight Dollars and Thirteen Cents ($194,428.13), totaling Two Hundred Twenty-Eight Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety-Three Dollars and Thirteen Cents ($228,993.13); and
Whereas, the subject property should have remained exempt from City taxes pursuant to its status as a not-for-profit religious institution and should only have been subject to the County levy for sewer and refuse charges; and
Whereas, the City Council of the City of Mount Vernon deems it just and proper to correct this error and to cancel the associated taxes and interest; Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved That
The City of Mount Vernon, in City Council convened, does hereby ordain and enact:
Section 1. Title. This Ordinance shall be known as “An Ordinance Approving the Cancellation of Delinquent Taxes and Interest for the Westchester Muslim Center, Inc.”
Section 2. Cancellation of Delinquent Taxes and Interest. The City Council hereby authorizes and approves the cancellation of delinquent City taxes for Thirty-Four Thousand Five Hundred Sixty-Five Dollars ($34,565.00) and accrued interest in the amount of One Hundred Ninety-Four Thousand Four Hundred Twenty-Eight Dollars and Thirteen Cents ($194,428.13), totaling Two Hundred Twenty-Eight Thousand Nine Hundred Ninety-Three Dollars and Thirteen Cents ($228,993.13), levied against the property located at 22 Brookfield Road, Mount Vernon, New York, identified as Tax Map ID 165.26-2142-4.
Section 3. Basis for Cancellation. The cancellation of these taxes and interest is based on the determination that the property was erroneously classified as taxable due to a clerical error in the 1994 City Assessment Roll, despite its entitlement to not-for-profit tax-exempt status.
Section 4. Authorization to Amend Financial Records. The City Comptroller is hereby authorized and directed to make all necessary entries and adjustments in the City’s financial records to reflect the cancellation of these taxes and interest.
Section 5. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon approval by the Board of Estimate & Contract.