It looks like there will be an eight percent property tax increase for Albany County residents as the legislature voted to override County Executive Mike Breslin's veto. Innae Park has more.

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ALBANY COUNTY, N.Y. -- With one vote to spare, the Albany County legislature passed an override of the veto on their adopted budget for 2012, just a week after they adopted it.

It means an eight percent property tax hike, to which legislator Shawn Morse says, "I think this gives much relief to the taxpayer."

The veto by County Executive Mike Breslin came Monday. In a letter, he cited concerns over too many personnel cuts and an overestimate of how much revenue would come in from the sales tax in the fourth quarter. Breslin had projected a 2.5 percent increase. The county upped it to 3.5.

The legislature chair Dan McCoy says an over-projection has led to problems in the past.

"We've been down this road before, with the previous budget director. They estimated the sales tax and it started our downfall, having a budget shortfall."

McCoy did vote in favor of the override.

Morse, who is the chair of the audit and finance committee, said, "What we do is do the best we can by projecting what we think will happen. We've been pretty successful."

He went on to add, "We feel comfortable that the sales tax will come into those numbers. And if they don't, we'll make adjustments as the year goes by."

He and others are basing their projections on strong results from third quarter revenue. The revenue numbers for the fourth quarter should be released in mid-January, according to McCoy.

"Relying on inflated sales tax revenue, moving forward when we just don't know if those numbers are going to be available. If they're going to be there, I think it's just a terrible way to do budgeting," said Albany County Legislator Chris Higgins.

This override prevents a 13 percent property tax hike in what would've been the budget after Breslin's veto. Breslin's original proposal set the tax increase at 19.2 percent. While it has been a drastic drop to eight percent, this required another override: One of the Governor's two percent tax cap.

The only Democrat to not support the budget says his colleagues are missing the goal.

"The reality is, we have to live with a two percent tax cap," said Chris Higgins. "We need to change the way this county does business. The county executive last year proposed layoffs, proposed closing the nursing home. These are issues that we as a governing body have to take a hard look at."

Morse is hesitant about the tax cap.

"While I think the intention is pure, it's not helping government, it's hurting government," he said. "It's causing a rift amongst people because while some are trying to do what the Governor asks, there are many who say we know it can't be done."

However, Morse says the committee hopes to reach the two percent tax increase limit within three years.

The county executive released a statement following the veto. He said, "My proposed budget was very tightly drawn, much more so than in other years. So the Legislature’s changes place services and fiscal stability at greater risk. There is no room to account for the unknowns of the State budget and the economy."