Kenneth C. Crowe II reports in the Times Union that Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin wants a 12 percent pay increase for Jim Gordon, the director of central services. Gordon is one of McLaughlin's chief Republican political operatives, and his proposed salary increase has drawn bipartisan concern from members of the County Legislature. The average Rensselaer County worker will get a 1.75 percent raise under the same proposal. “We have no commitment to any of the raises yet,” said Legislature Chairman Michael Stammel, a Republican from Rensselaer. McLaughlin's staff backed the big pay hike saying Gordon is taking on additional responsibilities overseeing the county IT department. Another close aide of McLaughlin, county director of operations Richard Crist, would get a 3.5 percent salary increase under the same proposal. The Rensselaer County Legislature holds a public hearing, without a live webstream, on the tentative budget from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14, at the county office building. Read more about this story in the Times Union.