Rensselaer County continues to show fiscal strength
Greetings to all in Rensselaer County and surrounding areas. This column is presented to help inform residents of issues, services, news and events in our county that may be of use or interest. We hope the winter is going well for all.
Our county received some very positive news in the form of a report issued by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli on sales tax revenues in the state. Comptroller DiNapoli reported our county seeing a strong increase of 8.4 percent, as compared to an average growth of 4.4 percent for other counties with an increase.
The news from Comptroller DiNapoli gets better. When compared with counties that did not raise their sales tax rate, which our county did not, Rensselaer County’s sales tax increased the most in the state. This is important news in helping keep property taxes stable and services strong on both the county level and for cities, towns and villages that share in the revenues.
Some of this growth can be attributed to an expansion of retail venues in our county, including in North Greenbush, East Greenbush and Brunswick. This gives residents more of an opportunity to spend their dollars in their home county. At the same time, there are also opportunities to shopright from home or work, again allowing residents to keeptheir dollars in their home county.
The news that our county is the leader in the state for sales tax growth is excellent news and continues a trend of positive financial news. In December, the second budget I introduced as Executive was approved unanimously and included a 3.5 percent property tax rate decrease. The 2020 budget follows a 2019 budget that also lowered taxes.
Along with lowering the tax rate two straight years, the county also earned an upgrade in the county’s bond rating. The county’s bond rating is now at an historic high, which is another factor that will help attract new investment and opportunity to the county. The bond rating noted the strong internal controls over spending in county government.
We have maintained our focus on saving money and making government more efficient. In early February, we announced the county saved $1.25 million in personnel savings. The savings in 2019 follow a savings of over $1 million in personnel. The savings show our commitment to maximizing our resources and the dollars entrusted to us by residents.
The emphasis on saving money has increased as the recently introduced state budget includes real potential problems for counties. The state has not yet addressed a $6 billion Medicaid shortfall and concerns are growing that the problem will be passed on to counties.
The county is doing more than just complaining about Medicaid and mandates. At my suggestion, a partnership was formed between the county, CDPHP and United Concierge Medicine to develop a phone app that allows Medicaid recipients to receive medical advice and consultation from the convenience of their home. Called ER Anywhere, the effort was launched in late 2019 and earned positive reviews and considerable media attention. The launch of ER Anywhere was so positive, in fact, that the service will now be offered throughout the region.
I was happy to join with partners from CDPHP and UCMat the recent NewYork State Association of Counties meeting in Colonie to brief other county leaders from across the state about ER Anywhere and the benefits of the service.
The county also got the chance to celebrate an important milestone, with the 4 millionth home delivered meal brought to a home in Rensselaer during early February. The home delivered meals are an important source of support and nutrition for many of our seniors. A number of seniors have reported that the meals allow them more independence and peace of mind. Thanks to all those who helped the county reach the 4 millionth home delivered meal milestone, and we look forward to delivering many more meals.
Thanks for reading. If you have questions, or would like to get in contact with us, you can call the County Executive’s office at 518-270-2900, or visit the county website at www. rensco.com, where there are links for questions and contact. Best wishes to all for a happy, safe and prosperous New Year!