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Troy Mayor Releases Proposed 2019 Budget

Troy Mayor Patrick Madden on Friday released his proposed 2019 city budget.

Madden, a Democrat, says his $73 million dollar spending plan brings Troy under the state tax cap.  "The increase is 1.4 percent and the solid waste fee goes up $4 per year. So for the average single family homeowner this represents an increase of about $2.78 a month. We've maintained all of our services. We continue to invest in our infrastructure. We continue to produce modest fund balances each year. Our budgets are sound and solid and I think we're building that financial foundation that I've often spoke of."

Madden notes the package preserves necessary staffing levels and includes no layoffs.

But, Republican Council President Carmella Mantello has some concerns and promises to continue to be a watchdog for local taxpayers.   "I continue to be concerned of the trend that the city administration has continued to put the burden, the majority of the burden, on Troy taxpayers. And we know that through a 2017 14.5 percent tax increase $160, double garbage fee. Taxpayers were already receiving that service through their tax dollars. And that scene is set to being expired December 31st, 2018. So the mayor is now proposing to make that fee permanent. It's something I do not support."
Mantello is calling for officials to "look at the budget more creatively" when considering revenue and expenditures.  She supports more shared services with Rensselaer County and other municipalities, and adds that in the weeks to come, the city council will be holding dozens of hearings, committee meetings and workshops.  "And we are set to pass the 2019 budget at the end of November as the city charter states."

Madden says the city is seeking a way to fund refurbishing of at least one of Troy's municipal swimming pools, which were closed over the last two summers.  "With the extent of the renovations that are necessary, it's difficult to imagine it would be up for this season, but we're working toward that end."

Previous estimates on repairing both pools ran in the neighborhood of $2.4 million.

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.
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