Touchette: County working on paid sick leave law

SELKIRK —At the November meeting of the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Community Business Association, held at Finke Equipment on Route 9W, Albany County Legislator Rick Touchette gave an update of what is going on at the county legislature.

Lawmakers have been mulling a new law that would require employers of all sizes across Albany County — both for-profits and not-for-profits — to provide sick leave for workers.

“People have been asking me about the proposed law that would mandate unpaid and paid sick leave for basically every company or every entity, including not-for-profits, in Albany County,” said Touchette, who represents Coeymans.

He said he sees issues with the proposed law as it currently stands.

“I see that as problematic,” Touchette said. “I believe in paid sick leave, but I don’t believe it is a county issue.”

The law, if it is ultimately adopted, would apply to all companies that have employees working in Albany County. Where it gets dicey, Touchette said, is for companies that cross county lines.

“For companies like Carver [Companies], for instance — they have people working in Albany County, they have people working in Schoharie County, and all over,” Touchette said. “It’s a county nightmare to keep track of who is working in Albany County, and as soon as they hit that 80 hours per year, they have to start accruing sick time, so I am opposed to that law.”

The law, he said, would apply to companies that are not in Albany County, but that have employees in the county, making for a confusing situation.

Currently, Touchette said it appears the law does not have enough votes in the Albany County Legislature to pass.

“The way it stands now, they way I understand it, there are 17 of the 39 legislators — there are 17 that are on board and plan to vote ‘yes,’”, Touchette said. “They need 20 to pass, but right now they don’t have the votes to pass.”

He added that he expects the legislature will vote on the proposed law Dec. 8.

“Hopefully, it will be voted down,” he said.

An audience member asked if there was the possibility of revising the proposed law to make it able to pass muster with the legislature. Touchette said lawmakers have already made attempts to do just that.

“It’s been modified a couple of times and now it is down to if you have five or fewer [employees], you have to give sick days but they are unpaid sick days,” Touchette responded. “There have been modifications and revisions, but the last time there was a revision, one of the members who was for it said if you water this down anymore… I don’t think they are at the point where they can do much one way or the other.”

Albany County budget

Touchette also offered an update on the county’s proposed executive budget, which was presented in October by Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy.

“The legislature is looking at the county executive’s budget right now. It is a $711 million budget,” Touchette said. “There may be some negotiations going on that we are going to talk about… but it is within the tax cap, so that is good.”

The proposed executive budget is an estimated $711 million spending plan for 2019, which is an increase of roughly $21 million compared to this year.

It does not include a tax increase for county residents, according to an earlier statement by McCoy, and is the sixth year in a row that the administration has held the line on taxes.

Touchette said some minor adjustments may be on the way before the budget is finally adopted, but that it is a sound proposal.

“Interestingly enough, of that $711 million, only $90 million comes from property taxes,” Touchette said. “About $90 million comes from the federal government, $60 million comes from the state. Sales tax brings in millions of dollars. There will be some minor changes in the proposed budget, but there won’t be a tax increase this year, so that is good.”

The county legislature is expected to vote on the budget by the end of the year.