Kenneth C. Crowe II reports in the Albany Times Union that the Rensselaer County Legislature quintupled the travel budget for county executive Steven McLaughlin to $5,000 with an 11-7 vote April 10. McLaughlin gets to hire a second secretary to schedule that travel budget. Former County Executive Kathleen Jimino spent $4,054 in total between 2008 and 2016, while McLaughlin gets more than that annually. The second secretary costs taxpayers $50,000 a year. County spokesperson Rich Crist said, “There’s a number of opportunities out there that may require travel.” Minority Leader Edward Manny, D-Troy, said the county-owned 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe McLaughlin drives, paid for out of the sheriff’s vehicle budget at the end of 2017, may be the reason for the bigger travel budget. He said the large vehicle, “drinks gasoline like water.” Read the full story in the Albany Times Union.