1 00:00:01,740 --> 00:00:04,720 foreign 2 00:00:04,730 --> 00:01:02,960 [Music] 3 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:04,519 thank you 4 00:01:04,519 --> 00:01:06,780 [Music] 5 00:01:06,780 --> 00:01:08,160 foreign 6 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:40,210 [Music] 7 00:01:40,220 --> 00:01:57,410 I don't know 8 00:01:57,420 --> 00:01:58,930 anymore 9 00:01:58,930 --> 00:02:21,920 [Music] 10 00:02:21,920 --> 00:02:25,660 thank you 11 00:02:25,670 --> 00:02:43,970 [Music] 12 00:02:43,980 --> 00:02:49,430 again 13 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:59,330 everybody 14 00:02:59,340 --> 00:03:13,300 else 15 00:03:13,310 --> 00:03:38,030 [Music] 16 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:40,019 um yeah I don't know if I should 17 00:03:40,019 --> 00:03:40,370 probably 18 00:03:40,370 --> 00:03:41,580 [Music] 19 00:03:41,580 --> 00:03:47,819 Michelle do did you want to uh be posted 20 00:03:47,819 --> 00:03:51,060 to the city website or something you 21 00:03:51,060 --> 00:03:52,920 could do that you could it's gonna it's 22 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:55,080 live right now okay yeah it's up to you 23 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,750 I mean you can do it after or whatever 24 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:01,099 okay 25 00:04:01,099 --> 00:04:03,599 so do you want me to just send how do 26 00:04:03,599 --> 00:04:06,180 you want me to just uh send you the link 27 00:04:06,180 --> 00:04:09,140 or how do you want to do it 28 00:04:09,140 --> 00:04:12,000 oh you actually put it on the website or 29 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:16,500 yeah or on the Facebook or whatever you want to do yeah it doesn't 30 00:04:16,500 --> 00:04:18,120 matter whenever you want to do it it'll 31 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:21,299 be on the osm Facebook page the link or 32 00:04:21,299 --> 00:04:22,919 YouTube 33 00:04:22,919 --> 00:04:24,860 um 34 00:04:24,860 --> 00:04:28,199 it's so we're live streaming now but I 35 00:04:28,199 --> 00:04:30,900 have like a slate that runs and then 36 00:04:30,900 --> 00:04:41,690 once it does I'll take 37 00:04:41,700 --> 00:04:51,240 [Music] 38 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:52,270 foreign 39 00:04:52,270 --> 00:05:39,350 [Music] 40 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:51,710 Philadelphia 41 00:05:51,720 --> 00:06:00,590 designers 42 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:02,820 you want to just check right here in the 43 00:06:02,820 --> 00:06:07,810 office to make sure it clicks over 44 00:06:07,820 --> 00:06:10,500 oh okay cool yeah I'm streaming I'm 45 00:06:10,500 --> 00:06:18,230 streaming now 46 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:35,990 all right thanks man yep 47 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:38,400 see you 48 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:40,500 [Music] 49 00:06:40,500 --> 00:06:41,500 again 50 00:06:41,500 --> 00:07:20,210 [Music] 51 00:07:20,220 --> 00:07:56,089 um 52 00:07:56,099 --> 00:08:29,450 foreign 53 00:08:29,460 --> 00:08:56,389 shut up 54 00:08:56,399 --> 00:08:59,459 I want to thank everyone for uh 55 00:08:59,459 --> 00:09:01,980 coming out this afternoon and having the 56 00:09:01,980 --> 00:09:04,980 opportunity to formally present to the 57 00:09:04,980 --> 00:09:09,240 city council uh the proposed 2024 city 58 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:12,779 of Schenectady operating budget 59 00:09:12,779 --> 00:09:15,779 uh again I want to thank council 60 00:09:15,779 --> 00:09:17,880 president Porterfield the members of the 61 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:21,839 city council for your being here and 62 00:09:21,839 --> 00:09:24,660 look forward to working with you on the 63 00:09:24,660 --> 00:09:27,839 formal adoption of our operating budget 64 00:09:27,839 --> 00:09:30,779 uh thank you to our department heads and 65 00:09:30,779 --> 00:09:32,760 all the city employees for the work in 66 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:35,100 preparation of this budget and the work 67 00:09:35,100 --> 00:09:37,440 they do on behalf of the residents of 68 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:40,080 this city every day specifically want to 69 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:42,240 acknowledge and thank Anthony Ferrari 70 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:45,540 Derek gukamuk and Liz Nelson from the 71 00:09:45,540 --> 00:09:47,399 finance department and the time and 72 00:09:47,399 --> 00:09:49,860 effort that they've put in this Michelle 73 00:09:49,860 --> 00:09:53,459 Carr Brendan Savage and John coluccio 74 00:09:53,459 --> 00:09:56,459 who's running a slideshow and will make 75 00:09:56,459 --> 00:10:01,670 me look semi-good in this presentation 76 00:10:01,680 --> 00:10:05,360 I want to thank our partners that enable 77 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:07,860 projects and initiatives to happen in 78 00:10:07,860 --> 00:10:10,860 our city that makes us stronger makes us 79 00:10:10,860 --> 00:10:13,680 more vibrant and adds a level of 80 00:10:13,680 --> 00:10:15,720 excitement to Schenectady 81 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:17,700 you know we have a number of projects 82 00:10:17,700 --> 00:10:21,180 that are underway or will be in 2024. 83 00:10:21,180 --> 00:10:23,820 the upper left is the housing project on 84 00:10:23,820 --> 00:10:25,200 Crane Street 85 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:27,480 the lower left is the Block House at 86 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:30,600 frog alley the SI group moved to Mohawk 87 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:34,080 Harbor Old World Provisions has moved to 88 00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:37,140 Broadway the center photo is showing a 89 00:10:37,140 --> 00:10:39,060 rendering of the rehab the old wedgeway 90 00:10:39,060 --> 00:10:42,240 building it's state and Erie Armory 91 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:45,480 Studio has been host to the van Gogh 92 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:49,260 exhibit which brought approximately 130 93 00:10:49,260 --> 00:10:52,260 000 people to the city of Schenectady 94 00:10:52,260 --> 00:10:55,920 uh this will be pre replaced in this uh 95 00:10:55,920 --> 00:10:59,579 coming roughly month by an exhibit on 96 00:10:59,579 --> 00:11:00,660 Monet 97 00:11:00,660 --> 00:11:04,380 uh in GE Verona announced a 50 million 98 00:11:04,380 --> 00:11:06,600 dollar investment recently in the 99 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:09,120 production facilities for wind turbines 100 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:11,820 here in the city of Schenectady 101 00:11:11,820 --> 00:11:13,800 we continue to develop affordable 102 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:17,459 housing the North Side village the rehab 103 00:11:17,459 --> 00:11:20,579 of the old Elmer Avenue School the Old 104 00:11:20,579 --> 00:11:23,820 Saint Mary's rectory or just to name a 105 00:11:23,820 --> 00:11:29,220 few we have completed or have underway a 106 00:11:29,220 --> 00:11:32,540 quarter of a billion dollars worth of 107 00:11:32,540 --> 00:11:35,220 affordable housing projects in the city 108 00:11:35,220 --> 00:11:37,920 of Schenectady and I want to thank Ray 109 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:41,459 Gillen for joining us today that 110 00:11:41,459 --> 00:11:43,620 partnership with Metroplex our 111 00:11:43,620 --> 00:11:45,480 relationship with the county the 112 00:11:45,480 --> 00:11:48,180 business Community is really unique in 113 00:11:48,180 --> 00:11:50,640 terms of how we come together and how we 114 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:52,980 provide services and actually make 115 00:11:52,980 --> 00:11:56,040 things happen within this community 116 00:11:56,040 --> 00:11:58,560 uh the construction continues at the new 117 00:11:58,560 --> 00:12:02,160 Central Park Pool again that will be 118 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:04,320 completed next year and I hope everybody 119 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:06,420 will be joining us as we cut the ribbon 120 00:12:06,420 --> 00:12:09,540 there and bring a facility that 121 00:12:09,540 --> 00:12:11,700 complements the Investments that we've 122 00:12:11,700 --> 00:12:14,600 made in the a diamond and music Haven 123 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:16,920 the partnership with the Rose Garden 124 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:18,260 committee 125 00:12:18,260 --> 00:12:20,399 there are things that are happening 126 00:12:20,399 --> 00:12:24,380 there all the time an exciting Adventure 127 00:12:24,380 --> 00:12:27,540 last week we did a ribbon cutting at the 128 00:12:27,540 --> 00:12:30,320 new pickleball courts in Hillhurst Park 129 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:33,240 in the new tennis courts across the 130 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:37,200 street in Fairview Park are also open 131 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:40,680 Monday we announced a 500 thousand 132 00:12:40,680 --> 00:12:43,440 dollar Grant from assemblyman Angelo 133 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:45,899 Santa Barbara for the rehab of the 134 00:12:45,899 --> 00:12:49,500 Central Park casino and I've included in 135 00:12:49,500 --> 00:12:50,940 the budget I've submitted the council 136 00:12:50,940 --> 00:12:53,120 today and a request for an additional 137 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:55,680 250 thousand dollars in our capital 138 00:12:55,680 --> 00:12:58,740 budget to make sure that we are able to 139 00:12:58,740 --> 00:13:01,380 complete the projected work on that 140 00:13:01,380 --> 00:13:04,310 facility 141 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:06,260 again I'm going to 142 00:13:06,260 --> 00:13:08,220 step off a little bit and spend some 143 00:13:08,220 --> 00:13:12,000 time on cyber security 144 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:14,279 we need to defend the city of 145 00:13:14,279 --> 00:13:16,920 Schenectady against cyber crime and 146 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:19,620 cyber security is everyone's job and 147 00:13:19,620 --> 00:13:21,240 while this really represents a 148 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:24,019 relatively small portion of the budget 149 00:13:24,019 --> 00:13:27,480 we pay about thirty thousand dollars for 150 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:30,949 insurance uh 151 00:13:30,959 --> 00:13:34,800 malicious cyber actors aren't making the 152 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:38,040 same holiday plans as you and I uh 153 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:40,620 recent history tells us that they look 154 00:13:40,620 --> 00:13:43,820 at these events and times 155 00:13:43,820 --> 00:13:47,480 to uh 156 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:51,899 engage in persistent acts that are big 157 00:13:51,899 --> 00:13:53,940 and small look to disrupt our critical 158 00:13:53,940 --> 00:13:55,980 networks and systems where they're 159 00:13:55,980 --> 00:13:58,680 really operating around the world and we 160 00:13:58,680 --> 00:14:02,639 have to be cognizant of that every day 161 00:14:02,639 --> 00:14:05,459 and so while we're 162 00:14:05,459 --> 00:14:07,579 looking at some of the city operations 163 00:14:07,579 --> 00:14:11,220 as members of the media here individuals 164 00:14:11,220 --> 00:14:12,779 that are here part of the message when 165 00:14:12,779 --> 00:14:14,760 you leave here today is you have to be 166 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:17,100 cognizant of it every day and spread the 167 00:14:17,100 --> 00:14:18,899 words to your family and friends and 168 00:14:18,899 --> 00:14:22,920 some of the quick points are slow down 169 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:25,440 scammers often create a sense of urgency 170 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:28,380 so that they can bypass your better 171 00:14:28,380 --> 00:14:30,779 instincts take your time and ask 172 00:14:30,779 --> 00:14:33,360 questions to avoid being rushed into a 173 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:36,660 bad situation do not click on links or 174 00:14:36,660 --> 00:14:39,180 attachments from senders that you do not 175 00:14:39,180 --> 00:14:41,160 recognize 176 00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:44,519 spot check do your research to double 177 00:14:44,519 --> 00:14:47,600 check the details you're getting if you 178 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:51,120 get an unexpected phone call just hang 179 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:54,300 up if you get an unexpected email about 180 00:14:54,300 --> 00:14:57,720 your bank account then please verify by 181 00:14:57,720 --> 00:14:59,880 calling the bank and make sure it's 182 00:14:59,880 --> 00:15:03,000 legitimate do your spot check a red flag 183 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:05,760 or something fishy if you 184 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:07,980 spot a red flag or something fishy about 185 00:15:07,980 --> 00:15:11,220 an email verify the suspicious email 186 00:15:11,220 --> 00:15:13,680 with a sender through a phone or some 187 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:15,360 other mechanism 188 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:19,560 and don't send money stop and don't send 189 00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:22,500 money no reputable person or agency will 190 00:15:22,500 --> 00:15:25,199 ever demand payment on the spot 191 00:15:25,199 --> 00:15:27,540 often scammers tell you to go off and 192 00:15:27,540 --> 00:15:30,000 buy gift cards that are meant only to be 193 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:33,420 given as a gift not as payment under the 194 00:15:33,420 --> 00:15:36,300 threat and so if you get these type of 195 00:15:36,300 --> 00:15:39,000 requests or things don't hesitate to 196 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:41,519 call the police department or reach out 197 00:15:41,519 --> 00:15:45,360 to some family member or somebody that 198 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:46,920 you trust 199 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:49,380 to avoid these just tragic set of 200 00:15:49,380 --> 00:15:51,839 circumstances that all that happen all 201 00:15:51,839 --> 00:15:54,320 too often 202 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:58,560 this slide Recaps the larger projected 203 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:01,440 changes in our revenue and I look 204 00:16:01,440 --> 00:16:03,180 forward to going over these numbers in 205 00:16:03,180 --> 00:16:05,220 Greater detail when the council holds 206 00:16:05,220 --> 00:16:08,519 its budget review sessions and I won't 207 00:16:08,519 --> 00:16:13,279 get into that tonight or today 208 00:16:13,279 --> 00:16:16,740 again this slide talks about our arpa 209 00:16:16,740 --> 00:16:21,180 funds uh that this will be our last time 210 00:16:21,180 --> 00:16:24,680 to use arpa money for the general fund 211 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:28,279 in no arpa funds will be available for 212 00:16:28,279 --> 00:16:31,740 2025 and this depending on the final 213 00:16:31,740 --> 00:16:34,920 numbers we adopt and work with I creates 214 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:39,180 approximately a 7.4 million dollar issue 215 00:16:39,180 --> 00:16:41,519 that we're going to have to deal with in 216 00:16:41,519 --> 00:16:44,040 future years 217 00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:46,860 this in the next slide recap projected 218 00:16:46,860 --> 00:16:49,500 adjustments and expenses and again if 219 00:16:49,500 --> 00:16:52,079 you look forward to going over with the 220 00:16:52,079 --> 00:16:54,180 council and department heads in Greater 221 00:16:54,180 --> 00:16:56,160 detail as we get into the budget review 222 00:16:56,160 --> 00:16:58,759 sessions 223 00:16:58,759 --> 00:17:02,699 the next one I have is I'm projecting in 224 00:17:02,699 --> 00:17:05,880 this budget uh four million dollars in 225 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:09,959 sales through our homes program and 226 00:17:09,959 --> 00:17:13,199 we've had a remarkable track record in 227 00:17:13,199 --> 00:17:15,959 creating uh home ownership opportunities 228 00:17:15,959 --> 00:17:17,760 for individuals within the community 229 00:17:17,760 --> 00:17:20,240 some of those have gone up and down 230 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:23,640 covid we had a general Trend up covid 231 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:25,439 slowed things down we couldn't do 232 00:17:25,439 --> 00:17:30,900 foreclosures that is now back in process 233 00:17:30,900 --> 00:17:33,299 we've taken a little over a hundred 234 00:17:33,299 --> 00:17:34,640 houses 235 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:37,980 that we have in the pipeline for sale 236 00:17:37,980 --> 00:17:40,380 and I these numbers show that our 237 00:17:40,380 --> 00:17:43,080 current Revenue in 2023 is down a little 238 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:45,539 bit I expect that to be up around a 239 00:17:45,539 --> 00:17:47,700 million dollars when we close out the 240 00:17:47,700 --> 00:17:50,280 year for homes that we have in the 241 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:52,320 pipeline and again appreciate the city 242 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:54,179 council working with staff as we go 243 00:17:54,179 --> 00:17:55,860 through that process 244 00:17:55,860 --> 00:17:58,200 and some of those purchases we know are 245 00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:00,539 a little bit more complicated and there 246 00:18:00,539 --> 00:18:02,280 are options that we weigh and try and 247 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:05,400 get the best value for the city as a 248 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:06,980 whole 249 00:18:06,980 --> 00:18:10,760 again this Recaps property sales 250 00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:13,520 historically it also looks at it 251 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:17,700 geographically one of our esri mapping 252 00:18:17,700 --> 00:18:22,440 systems it shows that this is not 253 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:25,140 targeted to any one area in the city but 254 00:18:25,140 --> 00:18:28,919 really across the whole city where we've 255 00:18:28,919 --> 00:18:32,160 had foreclosures we've worked to with 256 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:33,900 our Realtors Bankers other real estate 257 00:18:33,900 --> 00:18:37,559 professionals to Market home ownership 258 00:18:37,559 --> 00:18:40,520 in investment opportunities 259 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:43,380 within the city of Schenectady 260 00:18:43,380 --> 00:18:46,260 the next two slides this slide and the 261 00:18:46,260 --> 00:18:49,260 other ones recap the departmental budget 262 00:18:49,260 --> 00:18:52,020 summaries I'm not going to spend time 263 00:18:52,020 --> 00:18:55,020 going through each one you know Public 264 00:18:55,020 --> 00:18:59,960 Safety is a major expense major concern 265 00:18:59,960 --> 00:19:02,340 I compliment Chief Clifford and the 266 00:19:02,340 --> 00:19:04,640 staff in the police department 267 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:08,280 our crime in the city of Schenectady is 268 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:11,340 down approximately 33 percent 269 00:19:11,340 --> 00:19:15,840 when you compare it to the 2022 numbers 270 00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:18,059 if you do the five-year average which we 271 00:19:18,059 --> 00:19:22,799 normally do to level it out so it takes 272 00:19:22,799 --> 00:19:24,600 away from the anomalies that may occur 273 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:27,740 in any one year our numbers are up about 274 00:19:27,740 --> 00:19:30,600 2.1 percent you wonder how does that 275 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:31,740 happen 276 00:19:31,740 --> 00:19:33,419 and again it was the phenomenon where 277 00:19:33,419 --> 00:19:37,380 Covent where our general Trend in crime 278 00:19:37,380 --> 00:19:39,179 and other things were heading in the 279 00:19:39,179 --> 00:19:42,000 right direction covid 280 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:43,500 stopped everything 281 00:19:43,500 --> 00:19:45,600 there wasn't any commercial activity 282 00:19:45,600 --> 00:19:47,000 there wasn't 283 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:49,500 we didn't sell houses we weren't doing 284 00:19:49,500 --> 00:19:51,480 foreclosures people were staying in 285 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:54,840 their houses so crime dropped 286 00:19:54,840 --> 00:19:56,760 really down to almost nothing in some 287 00:19:56,760 --> 00:19:59,520 cases but when you then take the year 288 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:01,440 after covet as we started to come back 289 00:20:01,440 --> 00:20:04,860 it looks like crime went up dramatically 290 00:20:04,860 --> 00:20:07,380 but it really didn't it's when you do 291 00:20:07,380 --> 00:20:10,020 the averages it Compares it against that 292 00:20:10,020 --> 00:20:13,440 one year it looks abnormally low or it 293 00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:16,740 looks abnormally high so we have to sort 294 00:20:16,740 --> 00:20:18,360 through those and do an appropriate 295 00:20:18,360 --> 00:20:21,120 analytic review so that we're telling 296 00:20:21,120 --> 00:20:24,240 the real story of what's happening and 297 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:26,460 in terms of working with the council how 298 00:20:26,460 --> 00:20:28,860 do we invest the money that we're going 299 00:20:28,860 --> 00:20:30,960 to spend in the most effective way to 300 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:32,820 leverage the resources and while I've 301 00:20:32,820 --> 00:20:34,320 just talked about the police department 302 00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:35,940 the same thing is with the fire 303 00:20:35,940 --> 00:20:37,440 department the office of General 304 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:40,080 services so that we're getting the 305 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:42,780 biggest payback for the taxpayer dollar 306 00:20:42,780 --> 00:20:44,840 here 307 00:20:44,840 --> 00:20:48,419 uh again those departmental numbers are 308 00:20:48,419 --> 00:20:52,980 there and we'll go over it the uh 309 00:20:52,980 --> 00:20:55,140 general fund I'm submitting is a little 310 00:20:55,140 --> 00:20:59,360 over 111 million dollars this year 311 00:20:59,360 --> 00:21:03,120 the assessed value the taxable value 312 00:21:03,120 --> 00:21:05,880 within the city of Schenectady continues 313 00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:07,679 to increase 314 00:21:07,679 --> 00:21:10,740 it shows that our Collective efforts and 315 00:21:10,740 --> 00:21:13,740 again I complement Metroplex our 316 00:21:13,740 --> 00:21:16,140 partners County government in the work 317 00:21:16,140 --> 00:21:17,880 that the men and women who are employees 318 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:20,400 of the city do every day that we're 319 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:24,529 creating real value 320 00:21:24,539 --> 00:21:27,179 uh the tax levy 321 00:21:27,179 --> 00:21:31,200 again for the last decade his remained 322 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:32,940 fairly stable 323 00:21:32,940 --> 00:21:35,340 it's up a little bit down a little bit 324 00:21:35,340 --> 00:21:38,700 the budget that I'm submitting to the 325 00:21:38,700 --> 00:21:42,659 council today sees a rise of about 1.3 326 00:21:42,659 --> 00:21:45,000 percent in the tax levy and that's the 327 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:47,159 amount of total tax dollars that we 328 00:21:47,159 --> 00:21:50,760 collect via the property tax 329 00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:53,820 uh the budget that I'm proposing would 330 00:21:53,820 --> 00:21:56,179 keep the tax rate at 331 00:21:56,179 --> 00:21:57,860 12.98 332 00:21:57,860 --> 00:22:01,700 uh per thousand dollars of assessed 333 00:22:01,700 --> 00:22:04,860 evaluation and that chart again breaks 334 00:22:04,860 --> 00:22:08,880 out where your tax dollars uh go a 335 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:10,980 little under half goes to the school 336 00:22:10,980 --> 00:22:14,280 district the city is a little over 30 337 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:17,580 percent and then the county makes up the 338 00:22:17,580 --> 00:22:20,870 difference of that 339 00:22:20,880 --> 00:22:24,600 uh this chart outlines where the tax 340 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:26,419 rate has been 341 00:22:26,419 --> 00:22:28,559 we were 342 00:22:28,559 --> 00:22:32,280 much higher in 2015 we had 343 00:22:32,280 --> 00:22:36,299 systematically lowered the tax rate uh 344 00:22:36,299 --> 00:22:37,799 coveted 345 00:22:37,799 --> 00:22:41,159 again shifted everything we saw an 346 00:22:41,159 --> 00:22:45,380 increase in 2021 347 00:22:45,380 --> 00:22:49,919 2022 2023 held it 348 00:22:49,919 --> 00:22:52,200 stable effect last year when I 349 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:55,200 recommended the budget to you I asked 350 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:58,159 for a tax rate of 12.99 351 00:22:58,159 --> 00:23:01,500 which is what the council adopted in the 352 00:23:01,500 --> 00:23:03,480 budget and it's when we do that final 353 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:06,240 calculation when the assessed value of 354 00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:08,120 the property comes in 355 00:23:08,120 --> 00:23:10,260 there's a lot of times there's a little 356 00:23:10,260 --> 00:23:11,820 bit of variance in that number because 357 00:23:11,820 --> 00:23:13,860 we don't get that information from the 358 00:23:13,860 --> 00:23:15,919 county until 359 00:23:15,919 --> 00:23:19,020 mid-november after the budget is adapted 360 00:23:19,020 --> 00:23:21,539 so our tax rate even though the council 361 00:23:21,539 --> 00:23:24,900 adopted at 12.99 last year the effective 362 00:23:24,900 --> 00:23:27,780 rate was 12.98 so it went down a little 363 00:23:27,780 --> 00:23:31,020 bit because of that growth in assessment 364 00:23:31,020 --> 00:23:33,360 in other factors that play into the 365 00:23:33,360 --> 00:23:36,240 formula but I'm asking again for the 366 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:38,640 council's consideration to continue that 367 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:41,280 tax rate at 12.98 368 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:43,320 cents 369 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:45,960 the cost of our trash collection and 370 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:49,400 Disposal continue to rise 371 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:52,740 uh and I am asking and believe it'll 372 00:23:52,740 --> 00:23:55,260 require a fee increase to keep providing 373 00:23:55,260 --> 00:23:57,120 this service at the level we do to our 374 00:23:57,120 --> 00:23:59,220 residents I'm submitting for the 375 00:23:59,220 --> 00:24:03,299 council's consideration uh increase of a 376 00:24:03,299 --> 00:24:07,200 dollar fifty per week uh and keeping our 377 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:10,500 exemption process in place our Municipal 378 00:24:10,500 --> 00:24:13,260 service is still very cost competitive 379 00:24:13,260 --> 00:24:15,780 with private contractors in our 380 00:24:15,780 --> 00:24:18,120 neighboring neighboring communities in 381 00:24:18,120 --> 00:24:21,780 suburbs in what this will do is actually 382 00:24:21,780 --> 00:24:24,720 bring the revenue closer to actually 383 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:28,500 covering the cost of garbage collection 384 00:24:28,500 --> 00:24:32,159 so today the general fund subsidizes 385 00:24:32,159 --> 00:24:34,679 garbage collection and looking to 386 00:24:34,679 --> 00:24:36,659 equalize that and level that out and 387 00:24:36,659 --> 00:24:39,120 again look forward to working with the 388 00:24:39,120 --> 00:24:42,480 Council on ways that we could modify 389 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:44,580 that collection build efficiencies into 390 00:24:44,580 --> 00:24:48,179 it better educate the public to again 391 00:24:48,179 --> 00:24:50,580 appreciate the service we have and 392 00:24:50,580 --> 00:24:52,620 continue to deliver it at a manner that 393 00:24:52,620 --> 00:24:56,640 they appreciate and shows real value 394 00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:01,320 our water and sewer funds looking 395 00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:05,520 for a funding at the water level of 9.8 396 00:25:05,520 --> 00:25:08,299 million in the sewer fund at 397 00:25:08,299 --> 00:25:11,419 15.7 million dollars 398 00:25:11,419 --> 00:25:14,520 we have made major investments in our 399 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:17,159 water and sewer system you know just the 400 00:25:17,159 --> 00:25:21,240 force Main and pump station and North 401 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:22,220 ferry 402 00:25:22,220 --> 00:25:25,260 the new wells that we're putting in in 403 00:25:25,260 --> 00:25:27,960 our water fields in Rotterdam to keep 404 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:31,020 these funds balanced we need small rate 405 00:25:31,020 --> 00:25:34,200 increases and I'm asking for rate 406 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:37,380 increases of what would be effectively 407 00:25:37,380 --> 00:25:42,179 be slightly under five cents a day in 408 00:25:42,179 --> 00:25:44,820 the water fund and approximately 20 409 00:25:44,820 --> 00:25:48,240 cents a day in the sewer fund these are 410 00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:50,700 Big operations they really affect the 411 00:25:50,700 --> 00:25:53,220 dramatically the quality of life in our 412 00:25:53,220 --> 00:25:55,980 community but we at the same time have 413 00:25:55,980 --> 00:25:58,260 to pay for them 414 00:25:58,260 --> 00:26:01,860 uh in The Proposal submitting to the 415 00:26:01,860 --> 00:26:06,120 council I'm asking for uh 7.4 million 416 00:26:06,120 --> 00:26:09,659 dollars in capital budgets again look 417 00:26:09,659 --> 00:26:11,760 forward to the opportunity to go through 418 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:13,919 that with you in the department heads 419 00:26:13,919 --> 00:26:17,460 and explain where these uh investments 420 00:26:17,460 --> 00:26:19,980 will continue to allow us to deliver 421 00:26:19,980 --> 00:26:24,020 Services build efficiencies in and again 422 00:26:24,020 --> 00:26:28,919 hopefully create overall value for the 423 00:26:28,919 --> 00:26:31,740 city of Schenectady detailed that prior 424 00:26:31,740 --> 00:26:34,440 Slide the golf fund there's numbers 425 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:37,260 there but that fund is fluid and 426 00:26:37,260 --> 00:26:40,320 actually will have zero effect on the 427 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:42,659 overall capital budget and again it's 428 00:26:42,659 --> 00:26:47,630 treated as a separate fund 429 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:49,679 that uh 430 00:26:49,679 --> 00:26:52,559 just one of the success stories in 431 00:26:52,559 --> 00:26:53,779 Schenectady 432 00:26:53,779 --> 00:26:57,480 Livingston energy has been a partner a 433 00:26:57,480 --> 00:26:59,840 number of projects we've done here 434 00:26:59,840 --> 00:27:02,400 they started a few years ago with two 435 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:06,600 employees today they have over a hundred 436 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:09,360 full-time equivalent employees and 437 00:27:09,360 --> 00:27:12,980 installed over 2 000 charging stations 438 00:27:12,980 --> 00:27:17,340 and they have 5 000 charging stations in 439 00:27:17,340 --> 00:27:18,659 the pipeline 440 00:27:18,659 --> 00:27:24,059 so they're now in 25 states in Canada it 441 00:27:24,059 --> 00:27:27,600 is a robust in growing company and it's 442 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:29,460 just one of the many success stories 443 00:27:29,460 --> 00:27:31,740 that we have within the city of 444 00:27:31,740 --> 00:27:33,480 Schenectady talked about GE and their 50 445 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:36,240 million dollar investment there are a 446 00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:38,580 number of entities like Livingston that 447 00:27:38,580 --> 00:27:41,820 again Metroplex has helped bring in and 448 00:27:41,820 --> 00:27:45,000 grow that the diversity and the vibrancy 449 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:50,100 of our economic base is really amazing 450 00:27:50,100 --> 00:27:53,220 and so Livingston has been a partner in 451 00:27:53,220 --> 00:27:56,340 those charging stations but also in 452 00:27:56,340 --> 00:27:58,620 promoting the transition to electric 453 00:27:58,620 --> 00:28:00,080 vehicles 454 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:05,400 this is National Drive electric week 455 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:09,200 our event on that will be Sunday 456 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:11,820 coinciding with the Schenectady Green 457 00:28:11,820 --> 00:28:13,580 Market 458 00:28:13,580 --> 00:28:16,140 we've been contenders in that for the 459 00:28:16,140 --> 00:28:18,299 last three years last year we were 460 00:28:18,299 --> 00:28:20,659 number one in the country in terms of 461 00:28:20,659 --> 00:28:22,880 participation 462 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:26,520 we won't know until next week if we're 463 00:28:26,520 --> 00:28:29,760 where we finish in this but we are in 464 00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:31,559 line again to be number one in the 465 00:28:31,559 --> 00:28:32,460 country 466 00:28:32,460 --> 00:28:35,760 in this uh Endeavor and so if you're not 467 00:28:35,760 --> 00:28:39,000 doing anything Sunday from 10 to 2 stop 468 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:41,039 down to the Green Market and swing by 469 00:28:41,039 --> 00:28:43,880 the displays that we'll have out on 470 00:28:43,880 --> 00:28:48,480 Liberty Street for the electric vehicle 471 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:50,100 week 472 00:28:50,100 --> 00:28:52,320 our Smart City 473 00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:53,700 uh 474 00:28:53,700 --> 00:28:57,299 deployment continues through the cares 475 00:28:57,299 --> 00:29:00,779 project it's providing for 304 access 476 00:29:00,779 --> 00:29:04,860 points we've got a 193 wireless access 477 00:29:04,860 --> 00:29:07,080 points deployed through the city for 478 00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:10,380 Wi-Fi for public use and to support the 479 00:29:10,380 --> 00:29:12,980 delivery of city services 480 00:29:12,980 --> 00:29:15,799 again if you look at the utilization 481 00:29:15,799 --> 00:29:19,159 it's steadily increased 482 00:29:19,159 --> 00:29:22,380 we are seeing uh 483 00:29:22,380 --> 00:29:25,919 in excessive 2.2 million dollar or yeah 484 00:29:25,919 --> 00:29:28,919 I wish it was 2.2 million dollars 2.2 485 00:29:28,919 --> 00:29:33,120 million hits a day website visits so 486 00:29:33,120 --> 00:29:35,159 people are using this people are seeing 487 00:29:35,159 --> 00:29:38,220 the value it's something that again 488 00:29:38,220 --> 00:29:40,980 other communities have done very small 489 00:29:40,980 --> 00:29:43,620 areas they do business districts they do 490 00:29:43,620 --> 00:29:45,779 streets Schenectady we're building it 491 00:29:45,779 --> 00:29:49,559 out city-wide again to create value to 492 00:29:49,559 --> 00:29:52,380 create equity and improve overall 493 00:29:52,380 --> 00:29:55,860 efficiencies within the city 494 00:29:55,860 --> 00:29:57,899 uh 495 00:29:57,899 --> 00:30:00,779 Thursday night uh had the opportunity it 496 00:30:00,779 --> 00:30:02,220 was Wednesday night had the opportunity 497 00:30:02,220 --> 00:30:03,659 to 498 00:30:03,659 --> 00:30:06,960 participate in the uh 30th anniversary 499 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:08,640 of the center for technology and 500 00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:12,480 governments uh Milestone at the 501 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:14,580 University at Albany they're the applied 502 00:30:14,580 --> 00:30:18,000 Research Unit there they awarded the 503 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:20,340 city of Schenectady their outstanding 504 00:30:20,340 --> 00:30:22,980 partner award for our work together over 505 00:30:22,980 --> 00:30:26,580 the last 10 years so again we're getting 506 00:30:26,580 --> 00:30:30,539 recognition for the work that we're 507 00:30:30,539 --> 00:30:31,640 doing 508 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:34,679 it is humbling 509 00:30:34,679 --> 00:30:37,080 from my perspective but again it 510 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:39,380 reflects on the Investments we're making 511 00:30:39,380 --> 00:30:42,360 the budgetary decisions that the council 512 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:45,419 has made and it really creates real 513 00:30:45,419 --> 00:30:48,539 value within the city of Schenectady 514 00:30:48,539 --> 00:30:52,200 and uh with that I again look forward to 515 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:55,740 working with the council in a 516 00:30:55,740 --> 00:30:58,679 thorough review as we move forward and 517 00:30:58,679 --> 00:31:00,960 adopt a formal budget by the first of 518 00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:01,980 November 519 00:31:01,980 --> 00:31:04,380 I thank you and everyone enjoy your 520 00:31:04,380 --> 00:31:06,179 weekend 521 00:31:06,179 --> 00:31:18,630 foreign 522 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:31,830 [Music]