Albany

Mayor Kathy Sheehan's budget, which cuts spending by 2 percent, includes $250,000 more for salaries of certain officials — drawing criticism from some Common Council members.

Dozens of incremental raises are proposed for positions in various departments — from an 11.2 percent increase (to $36,000) for a Corporation Counsel paralegal to a 0.1 percent increase (to $35,000) for a staff assistant in administrative services.

The salary for Sheehan's chief of staff Shalyn Morrison Ranellone would go from $75,000 to $83,000.

Some of the largest raises are within the water department, which is a separate budget from the city's proposed 2017 spending plan of $177 million and is approved by the water board. Water department Commissioner Joe Coffey, who could receive a 9.4 percent increase, from $99,713 to $110,000, said the raises won't affect water rates going into 2017.

"I think that the timing is wrong," council President Carolyn McLaughlin said. "You have union contracts that are still in arbitration, and then you have those other employees walking around City Hall who have not seen a raise."

City officials said the raises were given to provide equitable pay to those in similar positions as well as to ensure job retention and competitiveness. Departments eliminated positions or reduced the compensation of other spots to help limit the impact.

The salary growth also is due to step increases in the police department.

The city now is in talks with 11 unions representing about 1,400 employees, from the police and fire to crossing guards. All of them have been without raises for some time.

For civilian workers in the police department it has been five years, said Kevin Flynn, president of the Albany Police Officers Union, representing three union units.

"The raises are discouraging because our membership is being asked to deal with the city being under financial hardship, yet there are people being offered raises," said Flynn, who represents about 350 union employees in the police department.

Attorney Elayne Gold, who represents the city in contract negotiations, said the city's financial struggles make settling difficult.

"There's nothing to put on the table. It's not that the city doesn't want to," she said. "With this mayor, if there was money, she'd be more than glad to do that."

Each department will present their budgets to council members in the coming weeks, which Councilwoman Judy Doesschate, the Finance Committee chair, said will provide a clearer picture.

"Until we've had those discussions, it's premature to be reaching any conclusion as to whether the raises are good, or bad, or warranted," she said.

In the Water Department, Coffey said salaries were increased to encourage retention as well as attract people to open positions.

"We're just trying to be competitive and get talent in the department so we can build capacity and implement the capital plan," he said.

There also are 13 new positions in the department, which are mostly unionized workers, Coffey added.

For the firefighter's union, President Bob Powers, who represents about 260 employees, said he's focused on securing a contract. While the Albany Permanent Professional Firefighters Association was given an arbitration award for 2012-13, its currently in mediation to settle a contract.

The arbitration award accounted for much of a $1.3 million increase in the salaries between the 2015 and 2016 city budgets.

More Information Selected raises under Albany budget proposal Mayor's chief of staff: From $75,000 to $83,000 Assistant corporation counsel: From $55,000 to $60,000 Deputy treasurer: From $84,384 to $86,384 In the Water Department: Chief operator of purification: From $57,443 to $75,000 Lab technician in purification: From $38,320 to $45,000 Account clerk in administration: From $31,477 to $32,500 Source: Proposed 2017 Albany budget and the 2016 Albany budget See More Collapse

"We are interested in making sure the fire department, the firefighter's union, comes together," Powers said. "There's stuff out there about (the raises), but through our end, we need to focus on what affects us directly."

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