City Council:
AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A TEMPORARY
TAX INTEREST AMNESTY PROGRAM FOR
COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES - (COMP2025-09)
Whereas, in a letter dated May 16, 2025, the Comptroller requested authorization to establish a temporary tax interest amnesty program for qualified commercial property owners in the City of Mount Vernon to resolve outstanding real property tax liabilities in exchange for partial forgiveness of accrued interest and penalties; and
Whereas, the City Council of the City of Mount Vernon previously adopted a Tax Amnesty Program for owner-occupied one-, two-, and three-family properties, beginning in 2023 and extended into 2024 and 2025, to support residential taxpayers in settling outstanding real property tax obligations; and
Whereas, this owner-occupied program excluded commercial properties, despite increasing requests and financial hardship expressed by commercial property owners within the City; and
Whereas, the City acknowledges the economic challenges commercial property owners continue to face, particularly in the wake of continued economic instability and rising operational costs; and
Whereas, the City Administration has proposed a limited-time interest and penalty abatement program to encourage commercial property owners to bring their tax accounts current and avoid lien enforcement actions and potential foreclosure proceedings scheduled to begin in late June 2025; and
Whereas, such a program would enable the City to recover principal tax revenue, increase short-term cash flow, reduce the City's backlog of delinquent taxes, and avoid the administrative burden of lien enforcement and foreclosure; and
Whereas, the City Council finds it in the public interest to offer a tax interest amnesty program to eligible commercial property owners to promote compliance, support local commerce, and enhance the City's fiscal stability; Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved That
The City of Mount Vernon, in C...
Click here for full text