Issue Position: Unfunded Mandates

Issue Position

I know it's hard to understand how this issue affects our everyday lives. Essentially an Unfunded State Mandate occurs when the state government passes a law that requires our town to do something and doesn't pay for it. The cost is passed onto the city and its taxpayers.

For example, the state mandates that a city can never give their Board of Education less money than was appropriated to them in the prior year. The city could allocate $50 million dollars for education in one year and the next year its enrollment could fall by 2000 students and the city would still have to appropriate $50 million dollars. This process is called the MBR or Minimum Budget Requirement.

The state of Connecticut should fund any and all mandates that they impose on local governments. These unfunded mandates contribute to increases in our local property taxes. We are taxed enough by all levels of government.

During his terms in office my opponent has not authored one bill that helps to alleviate one unfunded mandate. As a matter of fact, he has voted to impose more mandates on local municipalities such as Bristol.

I pledge to you that when I am elected in November I will submit several bills that repeal some of these mandates. I will look at the fiscal note of each bill and if there is a cost to our municipality that isn't funded by the state I will vote against it. I intend to be a leader and not a follower and represent the issues that are important to you. I believe that the issues of lower taxes and less government are two that will help improve your quality of life in Connecticut and they are two of my highest priorities.

To view the full list of unfunded state mandates please visit my website: www.pavalockfor77.com and let me know which one you would repeal.

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