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Schenectady County eyes 2% tax increase
Sales tax increase helps offset property taxes,
By Paul Nelson
Updated 1:00 pm, Tuesday, September 23, 2014


SCHENECTADY — Property taxes in Schenectady County would rise by nearly 2 percent under a tentative budget for 2015 introduced Monday by County Manager Kathleen Rooney. The spending plan stays within the state's 2 percent tax cap, according to Legislator Philip Fields.

Fields, chairman of the Legislature's Ways and Means Committee, said residents will eventually recoup that money through a state tax rebate because the $307.96 million spending plan doesn't break the tax cap.

The tax levy, or amount to be raised by taxes, is $70.15 million.

About $4.3 million of the budget is the cost of running the county's fledgling central emergency dispatch center in Rotterdam. Under an agreement, the county will be reimbursed a total of about $4.1 million from the municipalities who use the dispatch center.

During her budget presentation Rooney said the collection of county clerk fees and mortgage taxes are down while the cost of operating the jail, providing services to the poor and employee contract pay raises are all up, Fields said.

The county also collected more sales tax, saw a $1.2 million drop in the average pension contributions and took in $992,000 more in Medicaid reimbursements because of the Affordable Care Act.

"Obamacare helped us by $1 million," Fields said.

On Thursday, the Ways and Means Committee conducts the first of five budget review sessions.

A public hearing on the proposed budget takes place at 7 p.m. Oct. 6. An adoption vote is slated for Oct. 14.

In October 2013, county lawmakers approved a nearly $299 million spending plan that raised county property taxes by about 0.75 percent or about $11.69 on a home valued at $100,000. That figure does not include local, school and special taxing districts.

In other county business, the legislature, with two members absent, unanimously appointed Amy Hild as the Democratic Board of Elections commissioner, said Fields. She replaces Brian Quail, who left for a higher paying state job.

Budgets elsewhere

Schenectady Mayor Gary McCarthy said he will likely present his tentative spending plan to the City Council on either Sept. 30 or Oct. 1.

In Glenville, Supervisor Chris Koetzle is scheduled to host a budget forum at the Glenville Senior Center beginning at 3 p.m. on Oct. 9. Koetzle will talk about the financial trends in the town, the tax cap and an analysis on the fund balance.

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During her budget presentation Rooney said the collection of county clerk fees and mortgage taxes are down while the cost of operating the jail, providing services to the poor and employee contract pay raises are all up, Fields said.

Quoted from bumblethru

Yup..........the METROPLEX/GILLEN is really helping!!!

keep raising taxes and even MORE homes/properties will be VACANT....and there will be even MORE poor in need of services!!!

GOOD JOB....keep up the great work!!

OH....and let's get even MORE union workers on the payroll!!!

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

County property tax rates are lower today -- than they were in 1970.    

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

DEMOCRATS ACTUALLY LOWER TAXES

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

in 7 short years the Democrats the Democrats have DROPPED TAX RATES TO THE LOWEST POINT SINCE THE 1950's and  the entire county is in an economic Renaissance -- including Downtown.

THOSE ARE THE FACTS

Quoted from HarryP

OCDMan strikes again.

Quoted from HarryP

But my federal tax return hasn't come in yet ...

Quoted from Alva White

I actually applaud anyone who doesn't pay their taxes in protest over being taxed. At least it shows they have some balls.

I doubt if anyone on these boards has the balls to do it though.

Quoted from Alva White

I'm sure that the outrage by the posters on these boards over this latest tax increase will most certainly be the final straw and will result in everyone here refusing to pay their taxes.

Yes, I'm certain that will happen.

Quoted from Alva White

I actually applaud anyone who doesn't pay their taxes in protest over being taxed. At least it shows they have some balls.

I doubt if anyone on these boards has the balls to do it though.

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Fields, chairman of the Legislature's Ways and Means Committee, said residents will eventually recoup that money through a state tax rebate because the $307.96 million spending plan doesn't break the tax cap.

The tax levy, or amount to be raised by taxes, is $70.15 million.

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During her budget presentation Rooney said the collection of county clerk fees and mortgage taxes are down while the cost of operating the jail, providing services to the poor and employee contract pay raises are all up, Fields said