ALBANY — With a call to “fix the six,” Albany’s mayor stood shoulder to shoulder with public employee union workers this month, framing costly proposals to sweeten the state’s retirement system as a fight for New York’s workforce and the capital city’s residents.
But weeks after the rally, Mayor Dorcey Applyrs delivered a sobering prognosis: Albany is staring down a $15 million budget gap that could grow to $22 million. Applyrs ordered a hiring freeze and other belt-tightening measures.
The situation in Albany, where retirement costs account for about 9% of the city’s budget, underscores a reality for many cash-strapped local governments across New York. And the dire financial outlooks are in place as state lawmakers weigh whether to address changes to the Tier 6 state pension system…