Albany County Republican & Conservative Conference Agenda 

STATEMENT FROM ALBANY COUNTY LEGISLATOR FRANK MAURIELLO

My Republican and Conservative colleagues and I are strongly opposed to the use of public dollars to relocate a private drug rehab center from downtown Albany to Washington Avenue Extension in the Pine Bush.

We all understand the negative impacts the Camino Nuevo clinic has had on residents in the Central Avenue corridor. However, it’s not the responsibility of County taxpayers to help facilitate this private real estate transaction.

It’s clear the parties behind this six-figure taxpayer-funded deal never consulted those directly affected by the proposed relocation of the treatment center. Many of the commercial tenants at Pine West Plaza are rightfully worried about their potential new neighbors, and I share their public safety and quality-of-life concerns. I’m disappointed at the complete lack of transparency the local business community has experienced, and I also wonder how much help this new site would actually offer to those struggling with addiction, since there isn’t even a bus line that stops at the location.

I hope stakeholders in the City of Albany and at the County level are listening. It’s time to put the brakes on this misguided plan.