Outdated and overly burdensome regulations continue to cripple our local communities, businesses and taxpayers. Assemblywoman Janet L. Duprey (R,I,-Peru) is hopeful that before session finishes there will be the first step in correcting the state’s unfunded mandate relief predicament.
“Simply put, unresolved state-imposed mandates are crippling our local communities and schools, forcing cuts to public services while raising taxes. Their continued presence is one of the contributing factors to our current state and local budget constraints. Unfunded mandates have accumulated over the decades and are no longer affordable for communities,” said Duprey. “There needs to be meaningful reform of mandated programs to create real savings versus just shifting the tax burden.”
Unfunded state mandates affect communities in various ways; they may force school consolidations and/or closures, reduced local services, force layoffs, and create unsustainable debt. The Assembly Minority Conference has long been an advocate for the removal of unfunded mandates. Now, with the Senate Majority Coalition making regulatory reform a priority, we can hope for some realistic results in the near future.