An earlier version of this story had an incorrect count for the budget vote. The tally was 10-4 with one councilmember abstaining.

Albany

Bumping up against the deadline, the Common Council approved a $177 million 2017 budget Wednesday night with modest changes.

Council members gave $20,000 more to Albany's public access channel, cut the summer camp fee for city residents and added the clerks in the Albany County Hall of Records back in before approving the budget. 10-4 with one Councilman Michael O'Brien abstaining.

Council members Ron Bailey, Frank Commisso Jr., Judd Krasher and Mark Robinson voted to reject. They sent a letter to Mayor Kathy Sheehan on Nov. 20 criticizing the budget and her administration, and reiterated those thoughts Wednesday.

"It's just a budget that doesn't represent equity," Commisso said.

Budget supporters said it's not ideal, but budgets prior to Sheehan's administration also were challenging.

"The budget is not a perfect document," Councilwoman Dorcey Applyrs said before voting in favor. "I don't know a budget that is."

Council President Pro Tempore Richard Conti concurred.

"It's the nature of municipal finances and the challenges of municipal finances," he said. "You want to get ahead, but you also want to do good policy."

Sheehan said she's pleased with the council's approval.

"This budget reduces spending by 2 percent, the largest decrease in more than 15 years. It holds the line on property tax rates, contains no new fees or fines, and maintains city services. Importantly, it continues our efforts toward building a more sustainable city government," she said.

An amendment to cut the revenue for the trash fee by $387,801 — with the goal of reducing the fee itself — was defeated, 9-5, with Applyrs abstaining.

Council members believe they must pass a trash fee schedule to enact the fee into 2017 or the city could face a $1.5 million hole. It's unclear if Sheehan could extend the $180-per-unit fee for small apartments without their approval.

The budget still hinges on the state providing $12.5 million to close the gap, which council President Carolyn McLaughlin stressed is "the bigger problem."

"A $12.5 million request to the governor is critical to the fiscal solvency of our city," she said. "We cannot rest until a decision is made regarding this fund."

Applyrs, Cathy Fahey, Leah Golby, Daniel Herring, Joseph Igoe, Kelly Kimborough and Vivian Kornegay said in a letter that their approval doesn't mean they don't have reservations on "hot button items" like raises for some employees and the trash fee's impact on residents.

Many trash fee proposals have been floated but the 15 members failed to get a majority agreement. Plus the council doesn't have authority to adjust salaries.

"We believe it is important to put our differences aside, to make these modest yet important budget adjustments that will add to government transparency and assist in moving our city forward," the seven members wrote. "At the end of the day, the entire budget cannot be reduced to two or three important issues of concern."