Task Force to Study Unfunded Mandates

Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that to help ease some of the state-imposed burden on local taxpayers, a commission will be formed to study whether unfunded and partially-funded mandates serve an actual need or if they can be curtailed or eliminated.

“Local property taxpayers and municipal leaders suffer under these mandates,” Governor Rell said.  “The sooner we cut the costs for the cities and towns to respond to state government, the sooner cities and towns will be able to pass those savings to their residents.

“This is yet another issue that has been talked to death.  Everyone seems to agree that we need to make changes, yet year after year we let those changes fall by the wayside.  That procrastination stops here and now.

“This will not be just another study group.  The work of the Commission will be acted upon.  You have my word on that.”

In 1995, Governor Rell established the Lieutenant Governor’s Commission on State Mandate Reform and personally visited 101 town halls and met with officials from all 169 municipalities.  Her meetings and subsequent report led to several laws being passed to reform burdensome mandates

This year, Governor Rell proposed H.B. No. 6691, An Act Establishing a Task Force to Study Unfunded Mandates.  The bill died in committee, even though it received bipartisan support from mayors and first selectmen representing all sections of the state.

At a public hearing for the bill, Mayor Timothy Stewart of New Britain testified that “all of Connecticut’s cities and towns are adversely affected every year by the large number of state and federal mandates.”  The mayor cited special education and heart and hypertension benefits are two prime examples.

At the same hearing, Ledyard Mayor Susan B. Mendenhall testified that costly unfunded mandates include the MS-4 Storm Water Management Program.  The mayor noted that towns are required to incur costs associated with evictions, federal requirements for street signs and OSHA and HIPPA requirements for local nursing and health departments.

The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities and the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education have also expressed support for reducing or eliminating costly mandates.

The Governor’s Commission on Unfunded Mandates will be chaired by Amy Lazzaro, Policy Counsel for Governor Rell.  Members of the Commission will be announced soon.