Local Support For Constitutional Amendment To End Unfunded Mandates

By Gordon HopkinsA constitutional amendment intended to curb unfunded mandates has advanced to the general file.If passed, LR263CA would require the state pay the full costs of new programs or increased levels of service, either through general fund appropriations or an increase in state distribution of revenue to the impacted political subdivision.Introducing the bill was Senator Carol Blood (D) (District 3) of Bellevue, who is currently running for Governor of Nebraska.Blood indicated unfunded mandates have increased in recent years and believes her proposal would help reduce property taxes in Nebraska, “When we place an unfunded or under-funded mandate on our political subdivisions, they really have few options when it comes to paying for those mandates outside of property taxes.”Jefferson County Commissioner Mark Schoenrock spoke to the Nebraska legislature March 8, in his capacity as county board chairman and as Nebraska Association of County Officials Southeast District Director and urged state senators to support the proposal.Schoenrock told FJN, “LR263CA is a good government proposal which would prohibit the Nebraska Legislature from imposing any financial responsibility for new programs or increased levels of service under existing programs on any political subdivision such as a county, city or state department after the year 2022.”Schoenrock said, “This is very important legislation for local government in Nebraska. It is very important for local government and the citizens of Nebraska that it was advanced. The concerns that were addressed in debate yesterday will be addressed before and during the next round of consideration.”County commissioner Gale Pohlmann told FJN, “Yes definitely we are in favor of this as when unfunded mandates come to us from the state the only way we have to fund them is to raise our tax levy. This puts the responsibility back on the state to provide the finances for these mandates.”At a meeting of the board last year, county commissioner Michael Dux said, “We had a governor, the previous one, Governor (David) Heineman, I mean, he was patting himself on the back for reducing a lot of state spending. And he did, and that was all at the cost at the county level.”Senators advanced LR263CA to select file on a 34-5 vote. If passed by the legislature, LR263CA will be on the general election ballot in November.

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