Bristol Legislators Say Monday Mandate Relief Hearing Can Result in Lighter Burdens for Cities and Towns

Senator Jason Welch displays a thick stack of unfunded mandates that the state of Connecticut imposes on towns during a Feb 10 press conference at the Legislative Office Building. A public hearing to discuss mandate relief will be held in Hartford on Monday. Pictured from left to right: Harwinton First Selectman Frank Chiaramonte, Bristol School Superintendent Phillip Streifer, State Rep. Whit Betts, Plymouth School Superintendent Anthony Distasio, Welch, Bristol Mayor Art Ward, Bristol City Councilman Ken Cockayne, New Britain Mayor Tim Stewart.

State Senator Jason Welch and State Representative Whit Betts today announced that a public hearing will be held in Hartford on Monday to discuss municipal mandate relief.

Welch and Betts said the relief measures which will be discussed on Monday will aim to reduce costs for cities and towns at a time when revenues are down and state aid may decline.

“We need to do everything we can to help cities and towns maintain their budgets,” Welch said. “The list of municipal mandates is two-inches thick and weighs about two pounds. The thinner and lighter that list gets, the better off all of our towns and taxpayers will be.”

“Bristol and our surrounding communities are strapped for cash, and getting some relief from these onerous mandates can help municipalities balance their budgets,” Betts said. “This is our chance to give specific examples of mandates that should be eliminated. This is our chance to be heard. Mandate relief is a very attractive alternative to raising taxes or cutting programs.”

Last month, Welch and Betts led a bipartisan appeal to the governor in a request for relief from unfunded state mandates in the state budget. Officials from Bristol, Harwinton, New Britain, Plainville, and Plymouth joined the Bristol legislators to detail the burdens they face. Bristol Mayor Art Ward has advocated pushing aside some state mandates that weigh heavily on his city, noting that lifting or easing the mandates could free up cash for public safety, public works and other essentials. Local education officials have said that the most burdensome mandates come in the area of education and special education, because that’s where cities and towns are shouldering more and more costs.

The legislature’s Planning and Development Committee will hold the hearing at 11 AM on March 21 in Room 2A of the Legislative Office Building (LOB). The Labor Committee has already held a public hearing on changes to the prevailing wage and binding arbitration laws, so these topics will not be included in the Planning and Development Committee hearing.

Those who wish to testifiy on the subject matter are required to provide five copies of written testimony to Committee staff at the time of sign up. Sign-up for the hearing will begin at 9:30 A.M. in Room 2100 of the LOB. The first hour of the hearing is reserved for Legislators, Constitutional Officers, State Agency Heads and Chief Municipal Elected Officials.