© 2024
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
An update has been released for the Android version of the WAMC App that addresses performance issues. Please check the Google Play Store to download and update to the latest version.

Troy City Council President Carmella Mantello delivers annual legislative address

Troy City Council Chambers
Dave Lucas
/
WAMC
Troy City Council Chambers

For the first time in two years Troy city councilors met in person Thursday evening. Council President Carmella Mantello presented her annual Legislative Response and Address during the gathering.

The Republican welcomed residents back into council chambers. "For the past two years, this pandemic has tested our patience, endurance, and strength like never before," said Mantello. "For many of us, these have been the most challenging years in our lifetime. But we have come through this together and we are stronger for it."

Mantello's address comes a month after Democratic Mayor Patrick Madden's State of the City. She noted that when she and Madden took office in 2016, Troy was in deep financial difficulty.

"Our city was perpetually on the verge of bankruptcy," Mantello said, "facing another state control board, whopping tax increases, determined to not go down the path of another control board being in place in our city, the city council at that time implemented several new guidelines and reporting requirements."

Mantello says now Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s have raised Troy's credit rating and outlook for city finances. The 25-year debt of MAC, the Municipal Assistance Corporation, has been retired. She added that Troy is also phasing out the practice of bonding and borrowing for city vehicles.

“We need less fees and taxes, more common sense, and most importantly, we need fairness," Mantello said. "That is why the new city council majority will be sponsoring legislation to establish a bipartisan city council special committee, to explore establishing and usurping, not a public safety fee, a user fee, for the Troy redevelopment foundation. These are the major tax exempt properties in the city which include RPI, St. Peter’s, Emma Willard and Russell Sage. According to the 2018 New York State Comptroller's Office report, the foundation has not increased its $450,000 contribution to the city in over 20 years. This is unacceptable, is not fair. It's time to change.”

Mantello says Troy is putting $43 million in American Rescue Plan funding to work, with many proposed projects in the works. Initiatives and improvements include restoration of the Hill Street Market area, upgrades to the Knickerbacker Pool and demolition of the Taylor Apartments. She bemoaned violence that plagued the city, affirming it will not become Troy's "new normal."

Mantello said “The past two years have seen increased gun and gang violence in our neighborhoods. We have lost too many of our precious youth. My heart goes out to their parents, families and friends.”

Mantello proposes a pilot program to incentivize police officers to live in city neighborhoods, and utilization of smart city infrastructure that would include mobile cameras for video surveillance in crime-prone areas. Mantello adds the battle against blight will be stepped up, along with efforts to revitalize city neighborhoods and parks.

Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.
Related Content