All Over Albany

Albany County legislature overrides budget veto, Saratoga County property tax increase first in a decade, USPS says it can't maintain footprint in Albany, learning to make butter beer

The Albany County legislature voted to override outgoing county exec Mike Breslin's veto of the budget. The version of the budget approved by the legislature includes an 8 percent tax increase. Breslin had warned that wouldn't be enough because the legislature was counting "on unrealistic savings and overly optimistic revenue estimates" -- specifically increased sales tax revenue. Incoming county exec Dan McCoy voted for the override, though he admitted the legislature had made a similar mistake in the past. Said Chris Higgins, the only Democrat to vote against the veto override: "We need to change the way this county does business. The county executive last year proposed layoffs, proposed closing the nursing home. These are issues that we as a governing body have to take a hard look at." [Troy Record] [Fox23] [TU] [WNYT] [WTEN] [YNN]

The Saratoga County board of supervisors made a few more cuts before approving its budget -- which will still includes a 3.5 percent property tax increase. It's the first property tax increase in the county in 10 years. Saratoga County's rate of $2.23 per thousand dollars of assessed property value will still be the lowest in the state. [Saratogian] [Post-Star] [YNN] [TU]

The state Department of Criminal Justice Services has a launched a new database that will pull together domestic violence incidence reports across jurisdictions -- so law enforcement will be able to search for incident info regardless of where it happened in the state. Prior to this database, domestic violence incident reports -- which police are required to file with the state -- were collected on paper and put in storage. Saratoga County DA James Murphy says the previous setup made it hard for law enforcement officials to get details when people were involved in incidents in multiple counties. [NYS DCJS] [TU] [Fox23]

Erin Loffredo, the former Albany County Sheriff's office employee sacking for using false addresses to meet a residency requirement, alleges in court documents that former sheriff James Campbell and her supervisor both knew about the false addresses and had directed her to use them. [TU]

A cut in federal funding is endangering a series of stream gauges used to forecast river levels and issue flooding predictions in the state. [YNN]

Albany's post master on why the USPS is considering closing three most post offices in the city: "We're a business and we're part of every community, but we can't continue to operate at a deficit and still be part of the community with the footprint we have." [YNN]

Saratoga County's proposed trash plans include a big jump in the recycling rate. [Daily Gazette]

Officials from UAlbany's College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering say they're still interested in turning Kiernan Plaza in downtown Albany into an incubator for startups. [TU]

"[O]ne of the ugliest pieces of blight in the downtown" Schenectady is nearing demolition. [Daily Gazette]

Prosecutors expect the man accused of the fatal hit-and-run in Albany last month to be charged with manslaughter. [TU]

Albany police say the man who crashed into a school bus Wednesday morning was on his way to drug court -- had drugs with him (map). Though he didn't appear to be high. [TU] [Fox23] [WTEN]

So the lesson is... hold onto your dentures at St. Peter's? [TU]

The Town of Hoosick is looking at a potential move of its town office from a grand old armory building to... a fish fry or a garage. [Troy Record]

Students from Tech Valley High School visited the Pump Station as part of a science class in which they're learning to make butter beer. [Troy Record]

Niskayuna has an elementary school debate club. "The Internet's always on. It's your choice if you're going to stop right now or you're going to keep on playing until your mom tells you to stop or someone tells you to stop." [Daily Gazette]