Politics on the Hudson

Mount Vernon Mayor Clinton Young will hold a public hearing on March 22 at 7 p.m. in City Hall about the City Council’s elimination of the Inspector General’s office on March 10 when it overrode Young’s veto of the legislation.

“In light of recent cases of fraud and corruption that occurred during the prior mayoral administration, it is beyond reason that the City Council, acting in concert with the Comptroller, has voted in favor of such a reckless act.” said Young in a press release he issued yesterday.

While the public hearing will give folks unhappy with the elimination a chance to vent, the public hearing actually has little purpose, since all the critical votes in this issue have been taken. It’s a quirk of the city’s charter that places the public comment after action has been taken and not before.

Restoring the IG’s office at this point would require the City Council to adopt new legislation.