While many New Yorkers are expressing disbelief that this year’s state budget was passed not only on time, but early, Albany County Executive Dan McCoy is most excited with the fact the county will see no new unfunded mandates.
“Every year we do the budget and cringe until (the state) shows their budget. As of right now, there are no unfunded mandates. This budget sends a message that our state can work for us,” McCoy said. “I’d like to see that mandate relief that they promised when they came out with the (tax) cap.”
The $135 billion state budget was passed days before the April 1 deadline, making it the first time New York has had three consecutive, on-time budgets since 1984. Assemblyman John McDonald, D-Cohoes, joined McCoy and Acting Mayor of Cohoes George Primeau on Wednesday, April 3, at the Multi-Service Senior Center in Cohoes, to discuss highlights and issues with the state’s budget and how it affects Albany County.
One substantial benefit to the county is that the state has agreed to pay for the $30,000 increase in District Attorney David Soares’ salary, since it was an unfunded mandate.
“That’s an extra $30,000 that won’t come out of our county budget. Every savings helps going forward,” McCoy said.
The county will also see an additional $300,000 for road repairs and infrastructure to “meet today’s modern-day standards,” McDonald said.
McDonald discussed a veterans tax credit as well as an extension for a historic rehabilitation tax credit for Cohoes. There will also be an increase of nearly $1 billion in school aid in the state budget. Cohoes will see aid increase by 2.1 percent, Green Island by 1.6 percent, Menands by 24 percent and Watervliet by 2.2 percent.
This will add to an increase in community college state aid, which McDonald said was a “step in the right direction.”
“It has a positive effect on students, but also has a direct effect on county government and eventually has a direct impact on local government. It makes a big difference,” McDonald said.
However, McDonald added there’s still a lot more that needs to be done.
“People are thinking school districts are free and in the clear. That’s not the case. They need to continue their advocacy and we need to continue to listen,” McDonald said. “Whatever we can do to help them get through some of their mandates that are really hurting them we need to be very sensitive to … try to keep focusing on the core elements of education.”
Ed Tremblay, City of Cohoes director of the community and economic development office, said he was pleased with the budget but added it still has “a ways to go.” He said Cohoes is working on affordable housing, with the high-end markets along the riverfronts being the biggest concentration of wealth in the city. He said the core downtown still has a lot of issues with older homes.
During the event, McCoy announced a spin up of the Federal Enhanced Medicaid Match Savings that will reduce the county’s Medicaid payments by 1.1 percent per week, a yearly savings of $500,000.
The county executive said he is personally pleased to see the budget has streamlined hunting and fishing licenses and reduced the license fees. This could attract non-residents to the state, who would need to pass through Albany County to go to the Adirondacks or Catskills, he said.
McCoy said the budget as a whole is a good start, but he still would like to see more relief for Albany County.
“As a county executive, I wanted to see more unfunded mandate relief. But this is a step. This is us working together to roll up the sleeves, leave the egos at the door … work for the constituents that we represent because we owe it to them,” McCoy said.
