The Albany County Legislature unanimously adopted Monday the County’s spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year. Despite being in the midst of a pandemic, the 2021 financial blueprint encourages community programming, maintains critical services and holds the line on taxes.

“COVID-19 has resulted in unprecedented financial challenges for state and local governments and we will feel its effects for years to come. Similarly, families and businesses have also been impacted and it is necessary that we make the investments needed to help them thrive.” Chairman Andrew Joyce said. “I thank the County Executive for presenting us with a solid proposal that we were able to use as a foundation for our finished project which will guide us for the next 12 months. I thank my colleagues for their efforts to continue moving our County in the right direction.”

County Executive Daniel P. McCoy presented his proposal to the Legislature on October 9, totaling $719.3 million. The Legislature has used the last few weeks to work with agencies and departments, making various alterations to the final spending plan. The tax levy and tax rate remain unchanged from the original proposal, with the levy totaling $97,527,763, and the tax rate totaling $3.48 per $1,000 of equalized value, representing a slight decrease for property owners.

Within the budget, the Legislature made various adjustments and programmatic additions, including mental health improvements and earmarking funds for future investments and enhanced County services. Many of the moves build on measures initiated by the Legislature in recent months.

In 2021, the Legislature is adding two social worker positions to the Department of Mental Health in order to further its efforts to create the County’s groundbreaking ACCORD program to change the way dispatch services are delivered in instances of non-violent calls for assistance. The ACCORD – Albany County Crisis Officials Responding and Diverting – program is the product of a partnership between the Legislature, County Executive, Sheriff’s Office and Department of Mental Health. The two positions represent an investment of $170,000 into the program.

In addition, $100,000 has been allocated to the County’s Economic Development budget to expand efforts by the Legislature’s COVID-19 Economic Recovery Task Force to provide small business assistance. The Legislature recently authorized $300,000 for small business grants, which will be administered by the Albany County Alliance Local Development Corporation. The grants are designed to help small businesses recover from the pandemic.

“I am proud of the Legislature’s financial plan for 2021 and its programmatic enhancements that will support communities, small businesses, and economic recovery across Albany County,” stated Audit and Finance Chairwoman Wanda Willingham. “As a result of a comprehensive budget process, Legislators have constructed a thoughtful plan that will aid families and young people with afterschool program funding as well as provide new efforts to promote workforce development opportunities for young and minority populations. Overall, I believe we have the critical resources included in the budget to help those most impacted by the pandemic to begin recovery.”

The approved 2021 spending plan also doubles the Executive’s proposed $200,000 into the County’s Legislature-controlled contingent account for various yet-to-be-determined expenditures. Within the $400,000, $100,000 will be designated for future improvements at the County’s Board of Elections (BOE). In 2020, Chairman Joyce convened a task force of five legislators to review operations and make recommendations for improving the functions of the BOE.

The Legislature has also made minor changes to enhance its Department and Community Development program, which was added to the legislative budget in 2020. Now renamed Community Development, Public Health and Safety, this will be $425,000 for programmatic funding such as after-school programming, workforce development programs and other public health and safety initiatives.

Understanding the financial stress facing all local governments due to decreasing revenues, specifically decreasing sales tax income, the Legislature has trimmed its own budget. The two accounts under the Legislature’s direct spending authority are being decreased by a combined $588,453, or 11 percent, from 2020 levels.

The Legislative budget does not make any cuts to County services and program offerings. Expected revenues from sales tax and mortgage recording tax collections are forecasted to offset all spending increases made in the final budget.

“Despite the financial challenges brought on by the current pandemic, we are able to provide a budget for next year that remains under the cap, retains our County workforce and maintains essential services. This is a budget I am happy to support,” Majority Leader Dennis Feeney said. “I want to thank the County Executive for introducing a balanced budget and I commend our Legislative staff and the Audit and Finance Committee for their work to ensure that the final plan is fiscally responsible for the residents of Albany County.”