Speak before the Common Council
The Common Council meets the first and third Monday of each month in the Common Council Chambers in City Hall. Meetings begin at 7 p.m. A public comment period, lasting for up to one-half hour, is the first item of business. Speakers are requested to keep their remarks to five minutes. Individuals may sign up in the Office of the City Clerk by noon on the meeting date. Speakers will be called in the order they are signed up. Time permitting and with approval of a majority of members, additional speakers will be heard. If the regularly scheduled meeting falls on a legal or religious holiday, the meeting is changed to Thursday of that same week.
Speak before the Board of Education
You may contact the board clerk, Catherine Cutting, prior to the board meeting and ask for your name to be placed on the public comment sign-in sheet. The board clerk can be reached at 475-6010 or via e-mail atccutting@albany.k12.ny.us. You also may sign up to speak at the board meeting.
At the beginning of public comment period, the Board President will read the names, in order, from the sign-in sheet.
When your name is read, you may approach the podium. You are asked to restate your name and your address. All persons addressing the board are asked to keep their comments to three minutes. Speakers may only address the board once during the public comment period.
Board members will listen to each speaker's remarks, but no action will be taken until the board is properly prepared to address the issue. The board will respond to all communications by the most appropriate means.
Challenge your property tax assessment
The City's Department of Assessment and Taxation has on on-line "Assessment Parcel Locator" at: http://www.albanyny.gov/Government/Departments/AssessmentAndTaxation/PropertyAssessment.aspx
At the bottom of the page are links to information from NY State, including:
http://www.orps.state.ny.us/pamphlet/complain/howtofile/index.htm, as well as a list of "Important Dates".
It is our understanding that appeals can only be made once per year, at the beginning of May. The review Board is identified here: http://www.albanyny.gov/Government/Departments/AssessmentAndTaxation/AssessmentReviewBoard.aspx
Challenge your water bill
Through City Clerk's office: http://www.albanyny.gov/Government/Departments/CityClerk/OtherResponsibilities.aspx
Register to vote
New York State voter information: http://www.elections.state.ny.us/
Albany County voter information: http://www.albanycounty.com/vote/default.asp?id=217
Find your polling place:
Government elections: http://access.albanycounty.com/voterinfo/
School budget elections: http://www.albanyschools.org/Budget/2010-11/Street%20Directory%202010.pdf
Find and contact your elected officials
Albany Board of Education: http://www.albanyschools.org/district/board/Meettheboard.html
Albany City: http://www.albanyny.gov/Government/CityOfficials.aspx
NYS State Assembly: http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/
NYS Senate: http://www.nysenate.gov/senators
NYS Governor: http://www.governor.ny.gov/
Federal government officials: http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml
Run for Albany Board of Education
Contact the Board clerk for nomination forms, gather 250 signatures of register City voters, submit to County Board of Election.
