Saratoga Springs officials seek VLT funding
Mayor, finance and public safety leaders testify at state budget hearing
ALBANY, N.Y. » Saratoga Springs Mayor Meg Kelly, Commissioner of Finance Michele Madigan and Commissioner of Public Safety Robin Dalton testified this week at the New York State Joint Legislative Local Government Budget hearing at the State Capital to urge the Legislature to fully restore VLT aid.
On Jan. 21, when the 2020-21 NYS Executive Budget Proposal was released, it included the elimination of Video Lottery Terminal (VLT) Aid to the City of Saratoga Springs. The City had expected to receive $2,325,592 in VLT Aid revenue for 2020. Such an abrupt elimination represents five percent of the City’s operating budget, the loss of which would strike a significant financial blow to the City.
VLT aid was established in the 2006-07 state budget to help the city defray local costs associated with hosting a VLT facility to minimize and reduce property taxes.
The City has put the VLT aid to good use, continually providing outstanding City services to the hundreds of thousands of visitors who not only utilize the VLT facil
ity, but also take advantage of the City’s restaurants, other entertainment venues and over 60 downtown events annually.
VLT aid has assisted the City with substantial public safety, public works and infrastructure expenditures. If the VLT aid were discontinued, these expenditures would have to be reconsidered, in spite of the great need.
As for property taxes, the City has been able to maintain stable property taxes for the last eight years. This year’s property tax levy again falls within the State’s two percent property tax cap, and results in an average decrease in property taxes from 2019 of 0.05 percent.
This unexpected loss of VLT aid would force the City to consider an immediate tax levy increase of 10-12 percent, 5-6 times the
State’s property tax cap.
During her testimony at the hearing, Mayor Meg Kelly stated:
“Now is not the time for the State to be forcing the City to cut its operating budget and City services. Rather, it should be a time for the State to tout the City’s growth and stable property taxes as an example of municipal success. The State and City should be investing in, not cutting, critical services and infrastructure, so that the City’s prosperity is sustainable for the long-term.
“The City’s 2020 Budget, adopted in late 2019, contemplates such investments, including cybersecurity, recreation and trails, public safety improvements, and Code Blue and homeless solutions for its growing poor and homeless population. We will continue to advocate to ensure these critically important funds are restored in the 2020- 2021 New York State Budget.”