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Community Financial Question: Did the City of Mount Vernon complete its payment of the back taxes agreement for the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 school years?​

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Community Financial Question: Did the City of Mount Vernon complete its payment of the back taxes agreement for the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 school years?​

Yes. The City of Mount Vernon fully paid its obligations for the 2018–2019 and 2019–2020 school years. 

The repayment was governed by two legally binding agreements that together resolved the full amount owed. A Stipulation of Partial Settlement dated September 26, 2023, established a base tax liability of $11,734,627, and a Stipulation of Settlement as to Interest dated April 30, 2024, established interest of $2,112,233. 

To make this easy to understand: 

  • The City owed $11,734,627 in back taxes 

  • The City owed $2,112,233 in interest 

  • The total obligation of $13,846,860 was paid in full 

The agreements set up a structured repayment plan: 

  • The City made $3,500,000 in initial payments toward the initial total balance 

  • The remaining base amount was paid in monthly installments of at least $350,000 

  • Beginning in May 2024, the City added $100,000 per month in interest payments, bringing most monthly payments to $450,000 

  • The agreements required full repayment by September 30, 2025, after which the matter would be fully settled and discontinued for those years and would require a new agreement 

Payments were made from June 2023 through October 2025. After the final payment was received, the District Treasurer performed a full reconciliation of all deposits to confirm that every required dollar of both principal and interest was paid in accordance with the agreements. 

The reconciliation confirms that total payments exactly match the full amount required under the agreements. 

For the community, this means: 

  • There is no remaining balance owed 
  • All payments were verified through detailed financial reconciliation 
  • The agreements have been fully satisfied and the matter resolved 

Bottom line, the City has paid the obligation in full, and the matter has been fully resolved in accordance with the settlement agreements. 

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Lottery for UPK-3 hosted at Board of Education

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An end of the year message from Superintendent Dr. Demario Strickland

My first year as superintendent of the Mount Vernon City School District has been unforgettable, thanks to the support and dedication of our families, students, faculty, and staff. It has been my honor to serve this community and work toward building a brighter future for all of us. This was a successful year, and I want you to know that every bit of it was felt and heard. We faced real challenges and grew stronger because of them, and the progress we made together touched me deeply. It belonged to every family, student, teacher, and staff member who showed up and gave this district their best. 

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PTA Council awards $1,000 Edith Kaplan Scholarships to 16 students

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3rd annual Gentleman's Brunch hosted at Pennington School

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