To the Editor:
Democrats in the Rensselaer County seem to think they can earn cheap political points by attacking a County budget that does not raise property taxes. They are wrong.
Rensselaer County has managed to hold the line on spending and other areas to the point where there will be no property tax increases. I am delighted County leaders and Republican legislators have been able to produce a spending plan that provides much needed tax stability.
The County has managed to produce a budget with no property tax increase despite years of State mandates on counties being increased. Sadly, Democrats who now control State government are poised to shift even more costs onto county, town and school budgets, placing local property taxpayers at risk.
Instead of wasting their time and our time with nonsensical attacks on a county budget that does not raise property taxes. Democrats in the County Legislature should demand their colleagues in state government stop shifting costs to local taxpayers and, instead, start reducing the out of control State expenses.
Thank you to those local officials who have managed to hold the line on property taxes despite out of control State mandates and Democrats at the state level who do not seem to understand the problems being faced by everyday taxpayers.
Sincerely,
Theron J. O’Dell Sr.
Josh Hall Pond Road, Petersburgh