TROY - In the first State of the County address of her second term as Rensselaer County Executive, Republican Kathleen M. Jimino on Tuesday stressed a troika of principles: cooperation, cost efficiency and commitment, by which the county should govern on behalf of its citizens.

"To me, these are more than just words but are principles that I personally adopt and try to project in order to guarantee that we address the needs of our constituency in a forthright and effective manner. By using these standards as landmarks on our voyage of public service, we assure that we operate our government as a community-concerned business and receive the best service we can possibly offer," Jimino said.

Her remarks in the legislative chambers were heard by an audience of several dozen, including county government department heads and the 19-member Legislature, which held its monthly meeting immediately afterward.

Another early theme, county government's mission "to help elevate the lives and productivity, and therefore the self worth, of those less fortunate who currently call Rensselaer County home," closely recalled her remarks to the county Chamber of Commerce during a breakfast address at Hudson Valley Community College on Jan. 12.

In reviewing 2005, Jimino said by pursuing the above themes the county was able to achieve a $78,000 budget surplus, deliver more than $150,000 back into the general fund through the work of County Clerk Frank Merola, also a Republican, and save $300,000 in energy costs.

On the other hand, the county-operated and funded Van Rensselaer Manor nursing home will require an additional $3 million-plus in funding over 2005's tally, Jimino said. Jail expenses, including a planned $33 million state-mandated expansion, sex offenders and underage drinking were among other pressing issues, fiscal and otherwise, that were mentioned during the address.

Discussed much later were state and federal mandates, including the ever-growing bill for Medicaid services to county residents, long a source of fiscal woe for Jimino and other county officials. This expense gobbles almost 90 cents of every property tax dollar collected by the county.

However, the county's Standard and Poor bond rating remains at A+ and entrepreneurs, particularly those engaged in high-technology fields, are coming, the executive said, stressing a need for training and education in anticipation of that future.

Legislature Chairman Neil J. Kelleher, also a Republican, said immediately after Jimino's remarks the Legislature's job is "raising the bucks to pay for" these county programs administered by Jimino, whom he described as likely having the toughest job in county government.

His fellow members of the body's Republican majority said the address left them positive and enthusiastic about the county's future. Members of the Democratic minority did not immediately offer their response.

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