The Albany County Legislature has adopted a budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
The nearly $820 million plan approved Monday includes a 10 percent cut in the property tax rate and a 12 percent pay raise for county legislators. The county executive, sheriff and comptroller will also receive a 12 percent raise in 2024 and a 4 percent pay raise in 2025.
Republican Legislator Mark Grimm of the 29th district says after all of the raises kick in, Democratic County Executive Dan McCoy will make $189,000 a year and the sheriff will make $173,000, the county comptroller over $155,000. Legislative pay will jump to $29,175 a year, a $3,100 raise.
"And I thought that's a lack of equity, given that we just settled a lot of union contracts and non-union employees settlements that were 3-3-3-3. That is the percentage spent over time," Grimm explained. "And this has upfront money and makes a big difference, for example, with this 12%, and then the 4%, for next year, for the following year for the county executive, that's $100,000 in added money. So for purposes of fairness, I just think it was a failure of equity. Secondly, the legislature didn't really use its authority, it really just allowed the countywide electeds to pick their own pay. And that's not what we're here for. We're here to conduct oversight, and we didn't do it last night.”
Grimm had offered a proposal to cut the amount of the raises but it was defeated, 23 to 12.
McCoy highlighted investments in mental health care for veterans, economic development and a study of expanding childcare options. The budget also came with 3% wage hikes for county employees. It passed by a 26 to 9 vote.
When he introduced the budget in October, McCoy noted it keeps property taxes steady and stays under the tax cap for the 11th year in a row.
"Right now we're at $3.17 per $1,000 in assessed value. $2.84 per $1,000 assessed value is what we're dropping it down to," McCoy said in October. "That's a 10.4% reduction from 2023 to 2024. And if you look at our tax rate was $3.95 per $1,000 back in 2014, we have, working with the county legislature and everyone else, knocked it down 28%."
The budget provides $3 million in funding for the Albany Community Improvement Fund as well as $100,000 for a transportation and workforce development initiative for asylum seekers.
“We're very proud of the work that we've done on this budget. We've never had more member input in the crafting of this document. the county executive provided us with a sound budget to begin with. Many of our members had ideas for programming across Albany County to meet a number of different needs and focus areas going into the next year,” said Legislature Chair Andrew Joyce, a fellow Democrat.
Monday night in neighboring Rensselaer County, the legislature unanimously approved Republican County Executive Steve McLaughlin's $406 million spending plan that cuts property taxes for the sixth year in a row.
"Our property tax reductions provide relief for taxpayers, particularly young homeowners and seniors on fixed incomes. Six consecutive tax decreases also help encourage further investment and growth in our county and they send the message that we are providing for today, while building for a better and stronger future. Under the 2024 budget, the county tax rate will decrease by 10%. This is another significant property tax reduction. And when coupled with the reductions of the previous several years means that county property taxes have been reduced by nearly 37%," said McLaughlin.
McLaughlin also touted efforts to modernize county buildings and pave county roads.
