Albany County Executive Dan McCoy rolled out a $950 million spending plan for 2027 this week, pairing a proposed 3% cut to the property tax rate with sharp words for state lawmakers he says keep piling costs onto local government. The budget would push the county's tax rate down to $2.48 per $1,000 of assessed value, a drop from the current $2.56, even as overall spending climbs by 5.32%.
McCoy, who has served as county executive since January 2012 and is presenting an executive budget, said the spending increase traces directly back to New York State laws, regulations and orders rather than local priorities. As reported by Spectrum News, the executive said he's frustrated that county leaders are being penalized for practicing good government while the state continues to export its own fiscal obligations downward.
The proposed tax rate continues a trend McCoy has maintained for years. Back in 2014, the rate stood at $3.95 per $1,000 of assessed value; it has since fallen by 37%, according to the same report. During his 2025 budget presentation, McCoy had already proposed lowering the rate to $2.73, down from $2.84 the year before, a decrease also reported by WAMC.
Mandates McCoy Says Are Driving Up Costs
McCoy specifically pointed to $22.69 million in additional unfunded mandates the state has imposed for the coming year, the station's report notes. Among the programs he named are the state's Safety Net Assistance program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, indigent burials, forensic competency restoration services, lead paint standards, and Tier 6 pension benefit changes.
Some of those mandates carry well-documented structural costs. Under a cost-sharing policy enacted during the Great Recession, counties statewide are required to cover 71% of Safety Net Assistance costs while the state covers just 29%, according to City Limits. Separately, a federal and state administrative reimbursement adjustment for SNAP taking effect this month requires New York counties to absorb higher local administrative costs, per Dutchess County Government budget documents; New York is one of only ten states where counties administer federal SNAP benefits at all.
NYSAC represents all 62 New York counties in state legislative advocacy.
Fund Balance and Workforce Investments
To balance the budget, the plan proposes drawing $28.7 million from the county's fund balance. If the Legislature approves the budget as proposed, the county would still retain more than $94 million in reserve. McCoy said the spending plan reflects a continued commitment to the county workforce, including compensation, benefits, health coverage and subsidized childcare at Shaker Place.
Subsidized childcare has been offered to workers at the county-owned Shaker Place Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. Separately, an earlier WAMC report described a county employee childcare benefit covering 100% of costs for staff earning up to $51,000 a year and offering a 75% discount for those earning between $51,000 and $83,000.
If adopted, the 2027 budget would keep Albany County under the state-mandated tax cap for the 13th consecutive year. The county also enters this budget cycle with improved standing in the credit markets: S&P Global Ratings upgraded Albany County's outlook from AA with a Stable Outlook to AA with a Positive Outlook in July 2025, according to the Albany County Comptroller's Office.
Republican Response and What Comes Next
Albany County Legislature Minority Leader Frank Mauriello delivered the Republican response to the proposal on Monday. He said he hopes county leaders will craft a final budget with a larger tax cut, fiscal restraint and a focus on residents' everyday living costs, and that state leaders need to partner with county government to make constituents' lives more affordable.
The proposal is now before the Albany County Legislature.
