TROY – The Rensselaer County Legislature unanimously approved the 2020 budget of about $353.1 million Monday night that cuts property taxes, even though the Democratic minority expressed concerns about “unprecedented raises” for members of the county executive’s staff.

The $10,000 raise for Jim Gordon, the county purchasing director and Republican operative, was what Minority Leader Peter Grimm, D-Troy, and Deputy Minority Leader Cindy Doran, D-Troy, referred to when they explained their votes on the budget.

“There are a few unprecedented raises,” Grimm said, adding that the responsible thing to do for county residents was to approve County Executive Steve McLaughlin’s proposed budget.

Under the adopted 2020 budget, the average county property tax rate will drop by 3.5 percent. It’s the second year in a row that there has been bi-partisan support for the county budget.

“This is a strong budget providing a slight tax rate decrease for taxpayers while maintaining or expanding important county services and the county’s strong financial position,” McLaughlin said in a statement.

County Legislature Chairman Michael Stammel, R-Rensselaer, said he and other members of the Republican majority had concerns about the 12 percent salary increase for Gordon, whose salary jumps next year to $93,000 from $83,000. Rich Crist, the county director of operations, who is considered to be the county’s top GOP operative, and Gordon explained that the raise is justified because of increased responsibilities, according to Stammel.

Crist and Gordon joined McLaughlin in their failed effort to get Troy Republican mayoral candidate Tom Reale to drop out of the recently concluded mayor’s race. Democratic Mayor Patrick Madden was re-elected, defeating Reale and Independence-Green candidate Rodney Wiltshire, an enrolled Democrat. Crist, Gordon and McLaughlin wanted Reale to endorse Wiltshire in an attempt to defeat Madden.

Grimm criticized the Republicans for adding other salary increases, new positions and more funding for road repairs without consulting the Democrats. The County Legislature drew on sales tax revenues and budget reserves to do this in a 19-0 vote.

Stammel said the additional spending will continue the county’s highway improvement program by paving more than 30 miles of the county highway system in 2020. The new positions, Stammel said, will address the criminal justice reforms that the district attorney’s office must handle next year and the additional lead testing that the county Health Department will perform.

Grimm said that while the budget funds a line item for an attorney for the Democratic minority, the Republican majority will not release the funds. He said the funds are used by the Republicans for other county purposes. Stammel indicated that would probably occur again saying that it’s been better for the majority and minority to use the County Legislature’s attorney. That post is filled by the Republicans.