No more unfunded mandates, mayor says

Mayor Art Ward sent this out to many officials this morning:

I just read the article in today's Hartford Courant with regard to the proposed UNFUNDED MANDATE being considered for the school breakfast initiative. While the intent of the legislation is admirable, the fact of the matter is that communities are being deluged with so many of these unfunded mandates that their passage threatens the ability of cities to adequately address the financial stability of their own budgetary process, creates hurdles for any potential for the enhancement of any successful existing programs and in fact places an unjust tax burden on everyone.If the legislature ultimately decides not to increase funding to the communities this fiscal year, as has been reported to be the consideration, then it is imperative that absolutely NO MORE UNFUNDED MANDATES be placed into the laps of local taxpayers.Legislators only need to heed the difficulty of the communities which they represent in arriving at annual budget figures to see the onus that legislation such as the proposed bill would unduly place on their constituents.It is time for everyone to realize the fact that present times call for Realism not Idealism.

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