NEW YORK STATE LEGISLATURE

For Immediate Release

Oct. 2, 2015

ALBANY-AREA STATE LEGISLATORS COME OUT IN SUPPORT

OF CAPITAL CITY PILOT PROPOSAL FOR CITY OF ALBANY
ALBANY, N.Y. (Oct. 2, 2015) Albanys state legislative delegation has announced its support of
Albany Mayor Kathy M. Sheehans request for a Capital City PILOT to help the City of Albanys
financial future and to provide relief to property taxpayers.
Senator Neil D. Breslin, Assemblymember Patricia A. Fahy, and Assemblymember John T. McDonald
III (D-Cohoes) look to advocate on behalf of the City on this important issue in the next legislative
session, particularly during budget negotiations.
Mayor Sheehan has continuously demonstrated her strong commitment to cutting and containing costs,
while creating a City government that runs efficiently, said Senator Breslin. She kept the budget
increase to less than one percent in 2015, and under two percent in this year's proposed budget.
However, we cant expect Albany taxpayers alone to foot the bill for all of the essential services Albany
residents deserve. Mayor Sheehan is calling for New York State to carry its fair share of the cost to
operate the Capital City, and I support her in that call.
As a homeowner in the City of Albany, the financial challenge Albany faces is personal. We are the
proud seat of state government and home to many non-profit, educational, and medical institutions;
however, this translates to more than 60 percent of all property being tax exempt, about half of which is
state owned, and places a tremendous burden on property taxpayers. We need to relieve this longstanding local tax burden and provide more state impact aid. Further, other cities in Upstate, such as
Utica, Syracuse, and Elmira, receive more state AIM funding per capita than Albany. While many
promising state and local investments are fueling revitalization, Albany needs its fair share through a
Capital City PILOT to offset the costs of hosting state government," said Assemblymember Fahy.
Albany shares the same challenges as Syracuse, Yonkers, Rochester, and Buffalo. However, those
upstate cities receive between 69 percent and 79 percent more funds per capita from New York States
Aid and Incentives for Municipalities than Albany does. If Albany simply received the same funding per
capita as Utica, the city would be able to close the current structural deficit. It is time for New York
State to correct this historic inequity so that the City of Albany will be able to continue to provide
critical services that the residents and visitors to our Capital City have come to expect. This is a longstanding issue that needs a fresh solution to prevent further burden on the taxpayers of the Capital City,
said Assemblymember McDonald III.
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