Schenectady lawmakers cut taxes and slash proposed mayor pay raise

SCHENECTADY — City Council members voted 6-1 Monday night to adopt the 2020 budget that features a 1.5 percent property tax decrease for homeowners and gives Mayor Gary McCarthy a 4 percent pay raise for 2020.

The mayor — running unopposed for a third four-year term — fell well short of getting the 16 percent pay raise he wanted that would have boosted boosting his annual salary from $96,700 to $112,483. His 4 percent increase came with the stipulation he would get no raise in the remaining three years of his term.

Still, even those who supported the $112 million spending plan were critical of some parts of it. Chief opposition was voiced about the $2 million the mayor has earmarked for the Smart Cities program and the lack of public discussion on the spending. Others countered that the budget was a successful compromise.

A plan to increase the hourly rate to $13 for seasonal workers received praise for its potential to fill vacancies while sprucing up the city.

Read more: https://www.timesunion.com/7dayarchive/article/Revised-Schenectady-budget-includes-1-5-tax-cut-14563633.php