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Troy Forges New Budget Deal

Lucas Willard
/
WAMC

In October, Troy Mayor Patrick Madden originally proposed a budget carrying a 28.2 percent tax increase to fix long-standing financial issues within the city. The plan shocked residents and city officials, and a months-long fight began.

Alternate plans were tossed back and forth, but no deal was reached between the first-term Democratic mayor and Republican-led city council.

Just two days before the December 1st budget deadline, a local law to override the state tax cap went down, crippling the budget and giving the mayor only a .68 percent tax increase, as required under state law.

At the time, Madden said Troy was headed toward “financial chaos.”

But after two more weeks of negotiations, the city council passed a law to override the tax cap and budget reductions, bringing the spending plan to a 14.5 percent tax increase.

Madden spoke to reporters Monday night.

“We might be a step above chaos, in that we do now have a budget. It is balanced in the tax levy. It makes sense. We can move forward. But again, it’s not a budget that I am thrilled with. I think it continues to kick the can down the road in some respects,” said Madden.

Operational impacts from the budget reduction plan include the closing of municipal pools, eliminating summer recreation programs, halting city-sponsored community events, reductions in seasonal staffing, and eight layoffs across five departments.

Republican City Council president Carmella Mantello voted against the plan.

“You know, it’s unfortunate. But we have to move forward. I’m going to keep my role as council president to hold the mayor accountable in terms of doing the right thing and reducing the cost of city government to the taxpayers,” said Mantello.

Mantello and the other members of a Majority Steering Committee originally countered Madden’s 28 percent plan with a 9.5 percent increase and four layoffs.

On Monday night, Mantello believed the mayor could have brought his new plan below 14.5 percent and said she could not support a measure that includes layoffs for eight city employees.

“I told the mayor, ‘Get the eight layoffs out, you have my support.’ He refused to do that. To this very minute we don’t know who those eight people are. So the council just voted on 400 and something thousand dollars on eight layoffs, to people that they don’t even know who they cut,” said Mantello.

After the final votes, frustrated members of the public brought their comments to city leaders.

Resident Darrah White…

“This country is $22 trillion in debt. And you’re using the same method that they constantly use. ‘Let’s take the little people and mistreat them and we’ll let the top little percent keep what they have.’ That doesn’t work. It’s never going to work,” said White.

Resident Sandra Rouse…

“I’m concerned that through all these negotiations we will not end up with a sound budget; if the city continues to carry forward its old debts; if the city has a budget that is so lean that it cannot make payment on its expenses; and if our budget does not have resiliency to cover the unexpected, whether it’s lawsuits or water main breaks or something else,” said Rouse.

Madden said questions remain about whether the budget amendments passed Monday night before the start of 2017 will legally take effect under the charter. He said he plans to reintroduce the measures in January. 

Lucas Willard is a reporter and host at WAMC Northeast Public Radio, which he joined in 2011.
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