Mt. Vernon Independent Democrats "Our Mission"

“If that body of elected officials are ignorant, reckless and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness and corruption. As members of Mt. Vernon Independent Democrats we will demand any fraud of the people be stopped.”

The Mt. Vernon Independent Democrats (MVID) will use innovative grassroots organizing strategies to help candidates break through the political glass ceiling. The MVID will target and mobilize support for all the races (including any important ballot measures) in one coordinated campaign. We also recruit and endorse strong community activist early in their political careers, recognizing that a candidate may have to run more than once to win.

The Mount Vernon Independent Democrats will be the voice for residents of Mt. Vernon in the politics of the Democratic Party. Born from the idea of the need of reform of the usual party boss rule for political gain without gain for the people in Mt. Vernon that includes all ethic groups and economic backgrounds.

As Independent Democrats we will continue to support progressive government and issues, help elect honest and intelligent public officials, and supports deserving and qualified judicial candidates. We serve as a direct conduit to local elected officials, organize forums to introduce prospective candidates to the voters, and then organize support behind our endorsed candidates.

With the MVID dedicated membership, and its network with other grassroots and community organizations, the MVID offers distinct benefits to both the candidates and the causes we support, as well as to the people who contribute to them. This is an organization "For the People and by the People."

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Westchester's Jenkins asks HUD for time on housing deal to save $7.4M



TJN 0103 JENKINS
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Westchester Board of Legislators Chairman Ken Jenkins / Joe Larese/The Journal News
Written by
Colin Gustafson

  • FILED UNDER

With less than a week to go before U.S. housing officials say they’ll yank $7.4 million in grants from Westchester County, Board of Legislators Chairman Ken Jenkins is pleading for a month-long extension to meet the federal requirements for keeping the money.
Jenkins, D-Yonkers, announced Friday that he sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development asking it to give the county until May 25 to comply with a 2009 fair housing settlement.
HUD withheld 2011 and 2012 Community Development Block Grants after declaring that the county hadn’t adequately analyzed obstacles to fair housing, a provision of the 2009 settlement between the county and HUD. It recently notified the county that the 2011 money would be lost for good if the county did not submit a satisfactory zoning analysis and a plan for legislation prohibiting incomediscrimination in housing by April 25.
Jenkins said Friday that a court-appointed monitor of the settlement wasn’t expected to complete his own analysis of whether any zoning in Westchester excludes blacks or Hispanics until mid-May — and that the county should be given time to review those findings before submitting its own analysis to HUD.
The board chairman also said an extension would give Republican County Executive Rob Astorino the time he needs to send legislators the so-called “source-of-income” legislation required under the settlement.
Jenkins’ request comes three days after Astorino and the board sent HUD a letter urging it to let the state dole out the community development money on the county’s behalf — an arrangement similar to one already sought by HUD for disaster relief funds earmarked for Westchester’s municipalities.
Astorino’s chief-of-staff, George Oros, said Friday there is no need for an extension if HUD “would simply adopt the proposal” to have the state handle the community development funds.
A HUD spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment
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