Democracy In Albany

But now we must move forward.

Perhaps we can encourage tourism to our decaying sections of this old city, but then again...

"Legislators in Albany County, N.Y., took the one of the last steps needed to increase a tax on hotel rooms from 3 percent to 6 percent.

The Democrat-controlled legislature Sept. 14 overwhelmingly approved a local law that would increase the tax as of November 1.

Albany County Executive Michael Breslin must hold a public hearing before signing the legislation, said Mary Duryea, spokeswoman. The hearing date hasn't been scheduled yet.

The hotel bed tax dropped from 6 percent to 3 percent last January after the law authorizing the tax expired. The tax would again be 6 percent when Breslin, as expected, signs the legislation.

The occupancy tax is collected by all hotels and motels in the county with at least 25 rooms.

Reauthorization of the tax was one of the items held up by the stalemate in the state Senate following a Republican coup in June. Democrats regained control of the Senate in mid-July.

The additional 3 percent tax on hotel guests will generate another $3 million for the county, for a total of $6 million in hotel tax revenue.

Of that, $1 million goes to the Albany Convention Center Authority, which is planning to build a $225 million to $240 million convention center downtown.

The Albany County Convention and Visitors Bureau gets $1 million.

The remaining $4 million goes to pay off the county's debt on the construction of the Times Union Center."