Senator Kelly: Limit State Mandates On Local Towns And Cities

Senator Kelly testifies before the Planning and Development Committee on Friday, March 2nd.

Hartford – State Senator Kevin C. Kelly (R-21) testified before the General Assembly’s Planning and Development Committee [PDF] in support of HB 5316, An Act Requiring A Two-Thirds Vote Of The General Assembly To Enact Or Expand Municipal Mandates And Authorizing A Review Of Certain Municipal Budgets on Friday, March 2nd.

“Connecticut towns struggle day to day to make ends meet,” said Senator Kelly in prepared remarks. “In an effort to provide municipal relief and prevent unnecessary mandates, I fully support the initiatives put forth in this bill.”

The bill would limit the impact of state mandates on local municipalities by:

1) Enacting a two-thirds majority vote requirement for all future mandates, especially unfunded mandates; and

2) Enacting an audit requirement for any municipality larger than 30,000 residents which receives over 35% of its annual operating budget through grants-in-aid from the state.

“There are estimated to be some 1,200 mandates, many of which are not funded by the state,” concluded Senator Kelly. “Every time we pass legislation that shifts a government cost onto our towns, we must think long and hard about that cost. This bill would create that much needed review before the legislature enacts a bill to shift the government cost to a town. Connecticut municipalities are stretched beyond normal limits and we as a legislature should be doing everything we can to help them.”