I have lived in the shadow of the Harriman Campus and the University at Albany for my whole life and I have seen amazing growth there in the past decade to include new university facilities and the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering.
Although these campuses strengthen potential for economic development, they remain exempt from local taxes even though they require services provided at the expense of local taxpayers.
About 10 years ago, the Harriman Research and Technology Corp. was created for the purpose of mixed-use taxable development to include residential, tech office and retail space. The plan was seen as essential to the fiscal health of the city where more than half the value of the property belongs to tax-exempt organizations.
Earlier this month, Albany learned the board had been dissolved, the state was transferring 1,400 workers back to Building 5, and the rest of the 330-acre campus would become a tax-free economic development zone.
The city cannot afford to maintain services to an ever-increasing number of tax-exempt properties.
The past few years, Albany has received one-shot spin-ups of state aid to help balance its budgets. Surely such a sporadic method does not make for any good, long-range solution. In order to survive, Albany deserves a fair-share, sustained contribution from the state and other tax-exempt organizations that require city services.
Michael O'Brien
Albany Common Council
12th Ward