Capital Region city leaders start to release 2022 budget proposals

City leaders across the Capital Region are beginning to release their 2022 budget proposals.

Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan unveiled her spending plan in a virtual address.

The plan includes no tax increase on city residents.

The budget calls for a number of investments in the police department. It creates two new victim advocate positions and a data analyst.

There is funding for new technology to flag the use of racial slurs and other terms in officers’ body camera footage.

The budget calls for using money from the American Rescue Plan to give to essential city workers.

The federal aid also replaces some lost revenue to the city.

The budget also asks for $15 million in aid from New York state.

The city of Schenectady is also releasing its budget.

Mayor Gary McCarthy also presented his budget virtually.

The proposed budget includes no tax increase and restores 45 vacant positions eliminated from the 2021 adopted budget due to the economic impact of COVID-19.

MORE INFORMATION: Albany proposed budget | Schenectady proposed budget