Rensselaer County Legislators Flora Fasoldt, Ginny O'Brien, Kevin Harrington, Peter Grimm and Brian Zweig meet with Governor Spitzer's regional representative Tony Giardina (center) at the State Capitol recently.

MEETING ON MANDATES

ALBANY --- Unfunded state mandates was the topic members of the Democratic Minority of the Rensselaer County Legislature discussed with Governor Eliot Spitzers's regional representative recently. 

Legislators Flora Fasoldt, Peter Grimm, Kevin Harrington, Ginny O'Brien and Brian Zweig met with Tony Giardina at his office in the Executive Chamber of the State Capitol.

According to Minority Leader Ginny O'Brien, "Mandates are not new, but remain an ongoing burden to county governments.  We spoke openly and frankly about the need for mandate relief."

One very costly project for Rensselaer County is the $50 million jail expansion ordered by the State Commission on Corrections under Governor Pataki.   County legislators recently tabled additional bonds for the project.

Public Safety & Judiciary Committee member Kevin Harrington suggested that "With state facilities closing, there should be a way to avoid costly new jail construction on the county level."