2012.3.1 - Legislative Committee Meeting - "Unfunded Mandates"

This was one the resolutions approved to the Robertson County Commission on the March 1, 2012 Legislative Committee meeting. This will be taken up on March 19, 2012.

It seems as though the scenarios are countless. The state passes a bill mandating that the counties pick up the funding...

A RESOLUTION ASKING THE TENNESSEE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO CAREFULLY INVESTIGATE AND REJECT  ANY LEGISLATION WHICH PLACES NEW FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS ON COUNTY GOVERNMENTS OR TRANSFERS OBLIGATIONS FROM THE STATE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND ASKING ALL COUNTIES TO JOIN IN PASSING THIS RESOLUTION AND FORWARDING IT TO THEIR STATE DELEGATIONS

WHEREAS, each year more and more legislation is proposed to the Tennessee General Assembly, that while potentially providing desirable benefits, the fiscal cost to county governments is rarely considered and if passed, burdens Tennessee counties with millions of dollars of required duties and obligations; and

WHEREAS, in an effort to restrict state costs and spending, many existing mandates and obligations previously passed by the Tennessee General Assembly have had the required costs and expenditures passed to the local government, again leaving counties vulnerable to millions of dollars of unfunded state mandates; and 

WHEREAS, the citizens of our counties can no longer endure these financial obligations that might address the needs of one but place a monstrous financial burden on the many.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the ______________________________________ meeting in regular session on this the _____ day of _____________ that this body does hereby ask our delegates to the Tennessee General Assembly to carefully investigate and reject any legislation which places new financial obligations or provides a direct financial impact on county governments; and  

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body does hereby ask our delegates to the Tennessee General Assembly to also reject any legislation which transfers obligations from the state to counties; and 

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body directs the office of the County Executive/Mayor to provide a copy of this resolution to all Tennessee counties and to encourage their legislative bodies to join in passing this resolution and forwarding it to their state delegations.