SEN. FARLEY REPORTS SENATE PASSES BILL TO HELP CONTROL UNFUNDED STATE MANDATES ON SCHOOLS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

State Senator Hugh T. Farley (R, C, I –Schenectady) announced that he and his colleagues in the New York State Senate recently passed legislation to prevent costly unfunded mandates from burdening municipal and school budgets and their taxpayers. The bill (S3144A), helps curtail potential property tax increases or cuts to existing services by lessening the affect of state actions on local governments’ bottom lines.

Programs mandated by the state place taxpayers and local officials in the position of paying for services that they do not control. When the state sets local priorities and forces municipal taxing decisions by mandating services, programs, and standards, many local governments and school districts are forced to make difficult choices such as increasing property taxes or cutting back on other services and programs.

This bill prevents future unfunded mandates from negatively affecting local finances and driving up property taxes by requiring the state to assume the costs. This would make it easier for local governments to stay within the property tax cap and provide further relief to local taxpayers.

The bill has been sent to the Assembly.