RESOLUTION NO. 91
AMENDING THE ALBANY COUNTY CODE TO REQUIRE A TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY TO ADOPT A TAX INCREASE
Introduced: 3/10/25
By: Drake
WHEREAS, Albany County in recent decades has managed to reduce its
property tax burden, providing much-needed relief to homeowners, and
WHEREAS, Future tax increases in Albany County could prove disastrous to the economic and communal wellbeing of the County and the communities therein, and
WHEREAS, While current leaders have acted responsibly to steward the County budget and maintain those tax reductions, good public policy demands that systems be implemented to ensure the continuance of responsibility beyond the wisdom of any specific public officials, and
WHEREAS, An increase to the threshold of legislators required to raise taxes may provide a sufficient disincentive to future leaders to look at other possible budgetary solutions before raising taxes, now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, By the Albany County Legislature that Chapter 404 of the
Albany County Code is amended by adding a new Section 404-6 to read as follows
§ 404-6 Adoption of legislative items resulting in a tax or fee increase.
For any resolution, local law, or any other legislative item that increases, extends, imposes, or revives any tax, fee, assessment, surcharge or any other such levy or collection, the assent of two-thirds of the members elected to the County Legislature shall be required for passage of such bill. For the purposes of this section, an increase to the annual property tax levy which results in a decrease to the tax rate per equalized value shall not be considered an increase.
and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the County Legislature is directed to forward certified copies of this resolution to the appropriate County Officials.