Senator Kelly Supports Legislation to Roll Back Unfunded Mandate Burden on Towns and Cities

State Senator Kevin C. Kelly (R-21) testifies before the Planning and Development Committee with an official document illustrating the large number of statutory and regulatory mandates on municipalities in Connecticut.

Hartford – State Senator Kevin C. Kelly (R-21) testified before the General Assembly’s Planning and Development Committee in support of Senate Bill 223, An Act Concerning Unfunded Mandates on Friday, February 1st.

“The cities and towns that I represent struggle day to day to make ends meet,” said Senator Kelly. “In an effort to provide municipal relief and prevent unnecessary mandates I fully support the initiatives put forward in this bill. Due to the state’s own fiscal troubles, coupled with a poor economy and the financial burdens residents experience through increased utility bills and gasoline prices, decreasing property values and the high general cost of living in Connecticut, our cities and towns need more help to better educate our children, protect our homes and keep our communities the great places they are to live, work and raise a family.”

Senate Bill 223 would sunset all current unfunded mandates on our cities and towns and require a two-thirds vote of the members of each chamber of the General Assembly to pass such mandates in the future.

“There are estimated to be some 1,200 mandates, many of which are not funded by the state,” continued Senator Kelly. “The relationship between the state and a municipality is similar to that of parent and child. Every time we pass legislation that shifts a government cost onto our cities and towns, we must think long and hard about that cost. This bill would create that much needed focus before the Legislature enacts a bill to shift the cost to the local level. Connecticut municipalities are stretched beyond normal limits, and we as a legislature should be doing everything we can to help them.”

Senator Kelly concluded his remarks by expressing a desire to seek additional legislation in the future including an audit requirement for any large municipality in Connecticut which receives over 35 percent of its annual operating budget through state grants-in aid. He said that this step would ensure that state financial support is being properly used and monitored. If waste was discovered, the funding could be redirected to another municipality where it could provide additional assistance.