Albany homeowners may be facing a slight tax hike in the coming year. Mayor Kathy Sheehan, fresh off a primary victory, has unveiled her $176.4 million budget for 2018.
Largely because of a decline in revenue at the Rapp Rd Landfill, property owners could be in for a tax increase of just under 1%. That's about a $14 hike for someone with a home assessed at $150 thousand.
The mayor's proposed budget once again relies on $12 1/2 million in funding from the state, which is not guaranteed. "This is money that we deserve," Sheehan said. "This is money that every other city has demonstrated it needs to balance its budget, and Albany is no different."
Sheehan says the city also plans to try to get more money out of non-profit agencies. That, too, is not a given. The mayor's budget increases payments in lieu of taxes to $1.9 million, but it will require city hall to negotiate higher payments from non-profits.
The budget includes a 2% raise for non-union, white-collar employees. It also eliminates 12 positions, most of which are currently vacant.
photo: WGY news