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State lawmakers intercept shipment of
federal unfunded mandates and cost-shifts
Modern-day "Boston Tea Party" protests overreaching federal government August 5, 2007...State lawmakers kicked off their 2007 Legislative Summit this week aboard a schooner loaded with “crates of federal unfunded mandates and cost shifts.” The event, a modern-day Boston Tea Party, was staged to protest an overreaching federal government that is passing billions of dollars in unfunded mandates and cost shifts on to the states. "States cannot afford to absorb the costs of federally mandated programs which are taxing state budgets and our constituents," said Massachusetts State Senator Richard T. Moore, who serves as Steering Committee Chairman of the National Conference of State Legislatures. "Congress and the Administration need to start making the difficult decisions including the funding, and stop passing the buck to the states." "Instead of throwing tea in the harbor, we want to dump some of the unfunded federal mandates that we've been saddled with by Congress over the years," Senator Moore added. "It's easy if you live in Washington to vote for a program, especially if you don't have to pay for it." Over the past four fiscal years, the federal government has passed along more than $100 billion worth of unfunded mandates and costs shifts to the states. At their "Boston Tea Party," state legislators highlighted several mandates and cost shifts that are particularly troublesome including:
State legislators from all 50 states and around the world will meet here this week to discuss the nation's most pressing public policy issues. Lawmakers and their staffs will have the opportunity learn from their colleagues and to network with national policy experts, advocates and government leaders at any of the more than 200 policy sessions over the course of five days. The National Conference of State Legislatures 2007 Legislative Summit attracted over 9,000 state legislators, legislative staff and families to Boston generating more than $20 million economic benefit to the city and state. NCSL is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the states, commonwealths and territories. It provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues and is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of the states in the American federal system. |
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