The city of Albany, New York, is run by a Democrat, as it has been for the past 100 years. That would explain why the city is facing a $15 million structural deficit now. And that number is expected to balloon to $22 million this year alone.
Here's more on that from CBS 6:
Albany Mayor Dorcey Applyrs is warning the city faces a growing fiscal challenge, projecting a $22 million deficit by 2026, while also facing scrutiny over spending decisions made in the first months of her administration.
The city is already dealing with a $15 million structural deficit, according to Applyrs, who said the gap is expected to widen in the coming years.
...
Still, just three months into her term, some city officials are raising concerns about spending under the new administration.
That includes the creation of new positions with salary increases — a move that drew criticism from some members of the Albany Common Council.
“We need to know that we can afford these salary raises this year, and how we are affording them in the future,” said Councilmember Deirdre Brodie during a council hearing on February 19.
Mayor Applyrs was asked about this during a press conference last week, and her answer should scare all of Albany:
Albany Mayor Dorrcey Applyrs is asked by a reporter how she plans to fix their city debt situation…
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) March 22, 2026
Her response (not satire): pic.twitter.com/fhimWSiQuM
"That's a great question," Applyrs said. "And that's why we're pulling together that team, that interdepartmental team that will really go under the hood, open up the cabinets, really get into the weeds on our budget, the process, some of our systems. You know, it is government. There is a lot of bureaucracy, a lot of systems and sometimes those systems do not work."
"And so you have to get under the hood to first understand what's not working," she continued, "so that team in short order will start the process of examining all of those things to then determine, by me, with recommendations so how we can improve those systems to prevent something like this from happening moving forward."
She really doesn't say anything of value in that statement at all, but what's most glaring is not that she wants to cut the spending, the bureaucracy, and the "systems." Simply to "improve" them.
This is every auto mechanic ever speaking to a female customer before announcing whatever it is, it'll cost $1700.
— Lex Jurgen (@Lex_Jurgen) March 22, 2026
This is true.
A graduate of the Kamala Harris Learing Center pic.twitter.com/YxTPyesGnW
— El Jefe (@ElJefeTwoloom) March 22, 2026
Clearly.
She could’ve saved everyone a bunch of time by just saying “F*** if I know”
— Nurse Patriot (@LABeachGal1) March 22, 2026
That, at least, would have been honest and funny.
She’s what they elected. @adamcarolla talks about them all the time. A process person, not someone that can actually fix things. No accountability or results, just word salad. No different from Karen Bass or any other number of ditzy idiots who get elected based on good vibes.
— Dave Giglio (@djgiglio) March 23, 2026
And they all have Ds after their name.
When you haven’t done the reading but get called on in class https://t.co/El0DoQJ4OE
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) March 23, 2026
Exactly the same vibes.
Oh, and lest you think Applyrs has no experience with this, she was literally the city auditor for Albany before becoming Mayor.
Before becoming mayor, she was the city's auditor, a position which presumably required her to know what's under the hood. https://t.co/xFvRMALPKc
— Bob Lonsberry (@BobLonsberry) March 22, 2026
Oof.
What will she do when she finds out they simply don’t have enough revenue coming in?
— Andrew "Drew" Mullins (@realDrewMullins) March 23, 2026
Oh I know: raise your taxes https://t.co/ykYRbrea9O
We have to wonder how much fraud is happening in Albany, because we're willing to bet the city's spending problem is made far worse by fraud. And the "solution" to these problems is always to raise taxes, never to cut spending meaningfully.
It's also ironic that she's the mayor of the capital city of New York, where Governor Kathy Hochul just begged wealthy people to come back to her state so they can throw good money after bad and fund New York's social welfare programs.
Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy Townhall’s conservative reporting that takes on the radical Left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.
Join Townhall VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member