Albany Mayor Dorcey Applyrs is defending her decision to attend a conference in Puerto Rico while the city works to pass a balanced budget.
Applyrs and two members of the Albany Common Council — Majority Leader Alfredo Balarin and Majority Whip Owusu Anane — attended the annual Somos conference in the Puerto Rican capital of San Juan from Wednesday to Saturday.
“[Somos] brings state leaders together, not just for networking, but for conducting business,” Applyrs said in an interview Monday. “Also, we have an influx of new leadership coming in to state positions, and so it’s imperative as the mayor of this city that I am represented there, but also to continue to build relationships and rapport with my colleagues across the state as I do my part to advocate for our constituents across the City of Albany.”…