Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin delivered his fifth State of the County Address to the Rensselaer County Legislature on Tuesday, March 8, saying the County is in strong shape and seeing unprecedented fiscal and economic development.
“The County is becoming recognized as a leader in the State for lowering property taxes and expanding important quality of life and health services,” McLaughlin said in the Address. The County is seeing new and unprecedented opportunity and accomplishment thanks to fiscally effective policies and service improvements,” continued McLaughlin, who was re-elected to a second term by a wide margin in 2021.
“The County is also emerging as a prime mover in growth and investment in the region, with major job creation projects at Amazon and Regeneron, and leading the State in sales tax revenue growth during 2019,” McLaughlin noted. Rensselaer Counties sales tax earnings broke the $100 million mark for the first time in 2021. The County has also significantly reduced debt during the past four years.
McLaughlin noted the four consecutive property tax reductions that have been approved since he took office as Executive, including a 10 percent property tax reduction for 2022. The reductions have lowered County property taxes by 19 percent, an amount comparable to what taxpayers paid in 2002.
“The tax reduction for 2022 was 10 percent. That is the biggest County tax reduction in history. We saw revenues increase beyond our projections and made the correct decision to allow residents and property owners to share in the success,” said McLaughlin.
“Our County is known across the State for reducing taxes. We can be proud of one simple fact in Rensselaer County: that no other county in New York State has made the commitment and the investment to lowering property taxes and allowing our residents and taxpayers to share in our growth and success,” McLaughlin continued.
The Reimagine Rensselaer County Facilities would see the County acquire the Rose and Kiernan property on Route 4 in East Greenbush, and us it to base some County functions. Rented offices in Troy would be relocated to the County Office Building in Troy and the adjacent Health Building. The County Office Building and Health Building would see renovation and improvements.
The County has also paved 170 miles of roads in four years, including 70 miles in 2021 and 50 miles in 2020. Rensselaer County will again be setting an ambitious goal by working to pave 50 miles in 2022.
McLaughlin also affirmed support for Ukraine as they are defending against an unprovoked attack by Russia, and noted Rensselaer County’s efforts to raise needed supplies for Ukraine and the support received so far.
Other Highlights of McLaughlin’s 2022 State of the County Address:
• Rensselaer County has maintained two excellent bond ratings of Aa3 from Moody’s and AA from S&P Global Ratings.
• The County will be providing $2.9 million in funding from the IDA to support Hudson Valley Community College’s Applied Technology Education Center (ATEC).
• A new home has been secured for the Troy senior center in downtown Troy, which will feature modern amenities and services, with announcements to come.
• Work continues on the Emergency Services Training Complex in North Greenbush.
• Work to finish restoration of the historic County Court House will resume in 2022.
• The County completed work on development of a new website.
• The search for a new Department of Social Services Commissioner will begin in coming weeks.
• County ER Anywhere, which provides access to medical service through tele-medicine, expanded last fall to all residents.
While the positive direction of Rensselaer County is good news to all, Legislative Chairwoman Kelly Hoffman also enjoyed another aspect of the evening, stating “The best part about the legislature meeting was when we all got to sing, you know, and see one of our veterans that we were honoring do that, and hear that he does that every night before he goes to bed, in the midst of everything going on in the country. To see something like that — the whole chamber to sing together like that in unity — was just so moving and emotional and just goes to show you, you know, good things happen.”
In response to the State of the County Address, Legislative Minority Leader Peter Grimm stated, “We are pleased that it is reported that Rensselaer County is in good fiscal shape. Rensselaer County has seen unparalleled revenues coming from record increases in sales tax, gasoline tax and mortgage tax from the past year’s housing sales boom. In addition, we need to recognize the unprecedented amounts of monies coming from the Federal Government in the form of stimulus and recovery. While the pandemic has challenged the stability of all counties across America, Democratic leaders in Washington passed legislation providing $88.39 million to Rensselaer County in total relief and recovery funds needed to keep Rensselaer County in good fiscal shape. Republicans in Washington who voted against helping local government should take note that counties like Rensselaer benefited significantly.”