Mandate Relief Council Meets in Albany -- Statewide Public Hearings to be Launched

      The state’s Mandate Relief Council today held its first meeting in Albany and will soon embark on a series of statewide public hearings to discuss and solicit ideas and proposals to reduce mandated statutory and regulatory burdens on school districts and local governments.

      The council was created as part of a $125 million mandate relief package agreed to by the Legislature and Governor Andrew Cuomo last June.

      Senator Betty Little is a member of the 11-person council, which comprises four lawmakers and seven administration officials.

      “We heard lots of ideas last year on the commission, but there were a lot of members and little consensus on what to eliminate or change,” said Senator Little.  “The approach of the council this year is to bring these ideas directly to the public.  It’s going to be interactive and inclusive.

      “Behind every mandate is a special interest.  Many of the mandates are laudable but in some cases, unaffordable, or outdated or inappropriate for a region of the state.  This is a chance for the public to weigh in, as well as the advocacy groups, and be part of the process of providing financial relief to local governments and school districts.”

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