BUDGET REACTION
Legislators provide thoughts on McLaughlin’s 2021 proposal
Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin unveiled his proposed 2021 budget to members of the Rensselaer County Legislature last week.
The budget proposal reduces spending, from $353.1 million in 2020 to $349.5 million. Plus, the plan encompasses a slight tax rate decrease. Additionally, this marks the tenth consecutive county budget which remains under the state tax cap.
In the aftermath of the McLaughlin’s announced budget, members of the Rensselaer County Legislature offered their reactions.
“This budget comes at a time when municipalities are struggling to balance their budgets because of decreasing revenues,” Chairman of the Rensselaer County Legislature Michael Stammel, R-Rensselaer said.
“In Rensselaer County, we continue to do more with less. This budget is great news for county taxpayers,” Stammel commented on maintaining an efficient budget.
“The Legislature has partnered with the County Executive to manage county finances conservatively; our work is paying off for taxpayers. Rensselaer County has made every effort to be responsible to our county taxpayers,” Chair of Finance, Republican, Robert Loveridge added on taxpayer savings.
Across the aisle, Democratic Minority Leader Peter Grimm, offered his thoughts on the proposal.
“I’m happy to get it and happy to see there is not going to be a tax increase. That’s always good news,” Grimm said.
“In these tough times in this COVID era with all of the difficulties that we have, we have to be thankful that we had kind of a banner year, and the Executive mentioned that last year and the year before with revenues, so [that] kind of positioned us to be able to deal with some of the shortfalls now,” Grimm continued on the $94.4 million in county sales tax revenue generated in 2019.
“This budget is the direct result of all of the departments of the county facing tough times and doing their job when it’s needed the most. We look forward as the minority to get through the budget, make some recommendations down the road; we have a few weeks before that’s due,” Grimm noted.
“Other than that, we feel pretty positive about where it is. I’m also very happy that the County Executive mentioned going forward. And going forward we know there’s going to be challenges but that he keeps in mind, especially representing the city of Troy, small businesses, and then the health of course of the residents of the county and then in addition to that of course the opioid crisis,” Grimm added on confronting the challenges facing the county ahead.
Additional legislators also remarked on funding allocated toward county infrastructure projects and bat
tling the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This budget trims $ 4 million off of last year’s budget, yet increases spending on fighting COVID-19 and road paving. In 2020 we paved more roads than ever, and we will do more in 2021,” said Majority Leader, Republican, Ken Herrington said.
“The county employees that have been working harder with fewer personnel and tightening their budgets deserve a lot of credit. Our highway crews in particular, have done an excellent job paving and maintaining our roads,” Legislator, Republican, Bruce Patire, added on the more than 35 miles of county roads paved this year.
“Every county department has stepped up and made cuts where they could and are still able to provide us with great services. The County Health Department and Mary Fran Wachunas have done an excellent job handling the new responsibilities of running contact tracing,” Legislator, Republican, Jeff Wysocki, noted on the newly allocated $800,000 toward contact tracing efforts.
“This budget increases funding to fight COVID-19, and administer contact tracing, and provides meals on wheels to our seniors. These are two important services that deserve attention,” Legislator, Republican, Dan Casale, added regarding the county’s meals on wheels program, for seniors, which had increased its meals to 1,500 every day compared to 400 in normal times, and is presently serving about 1,200 a day.
McLaughlin’s two prior budget submissions have been passed unanimously by the county legislature. That sort of cooperation is what the County Executive is anticipating for with this budget as well.
“I am again hopeful we can reach a productive, mutual agreement on this budget, and recognize the priorities, opportunities and challenges facing this county in the year ahead,” McLaughlin noted on the negotiation process moving forward.
The County Legislature will review the budget and hold public hearings on the spending plan this month, as well as November and early December
The Legislature will announce a schedule of meetings and hearings on the budget in the near future.