Minutes 10/26/1993 - Laserfiche WebLink

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220 October 26, 1993 Our City recently responded to a survey request from the Conference of Mayors, which showed our current annual costs for complying with Federal mandates to total more than $14.4 million in fiscal year 1993. These costs are expected to grow in the future if they continue unabated. In addition to the Federal requirements, there are many State mandates. In fact, according to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, Virginia's local governments are subject to 391 Federal and State mandates. The burden created by these rules means that localities are notable to set their own agenda. Instead they must comply with mandates even if that means local needs go u19~%e t. Most mandates are enacted with a desirable goal in mind, and we have no quarrel with those intentions. However, the costs are extremely burdensome, especially to a locality like Portsmouth with a limited tax base. It is my strong belief that the State and Federal governments, when they impose mandates on localities, should provide the funding needed to carry them out. If that is not possible, then localities should be given some flexibility in implementation. I recommend your approval of a resolution which will emphasize to our citizens and State as well as Federal legislators the impact of unfunded mandates on our City." Motion by Mr. King, and seconded by Mr. Pitts, to.adopt the following resolution was adopted and by the following vote: "A RESOLUTION OPPOSING UNFUNDED FEDERAL AND STATE MANDATES UPON STATES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND SUPPORTING SENATE BILL S. 993 AND HOUSE BILL H.R. 140. WHEREAS, the United States Conference of Mayors has designated October 27, 1993 as National Unfunded Mandates Day to call attention to the fiscal impact of unfunded federal mandates on cities and counties; and WHEREAS, Virginia's local governments are subject to 391 federal and state mandates which require cities, counties and towns to perform duties without consideration of local circumstances or capacity; and WHEREAS, in some case these mandates require local governments to direct their priorities to meet federal and state objectives rather than community objectives; and WHEREAS, unfunded mandates require local tax payers to bear the expense that the city incurs in complying with these federal and state mandates; and WHEREAS, U.S. Senator Dirk Kempthorne, of Idaho, and Congressman Gary Condit, of California, are sponsoring legislation to end the practice of imposing unfunded federal mandates on state and local governments and to insure that the Federal Government pays the costs incurred by those governments in complying with certain requirements under federal statutes and re~ulations. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia that the President of the United States and the Congress of the United States be made aware of Portsmouth's opposition to unfunded federal mandates, and that Portsmouth's representatives in the U.S. Congress be urged to support Senator Kempthorne's "Community Regulatory Relief Act" (So 993) and Representative Condit's "Federal Mandate Relief Act" (H.R. 140), and that the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia and Portsmouth's delegates to the Virginia. General Assembly be made aware of the City of Portsmouth's opposition to unfunded state mandates.