(Austin, TX) – State Representative Ron Reynolds (District 27) coauthored HJR 56 which limits the power of the legislature to impose unfunded mandates on local government entities such as counties, cities, school districts, community college or hospital districts, or other special districts. HJR 56 is a constitutional amendment to be voted on in November before it can take effect. It prohibits the legislature from enacting a bill that increases the costs to a local government without providing a funding source for the payment of the activity that requires the expenditure of funds.
With the $27 billion budget shortfall faced by the state this session, we must put protections in place so that increased costs do not transfer to the local governments. Budget cuts are inevitable this session and payments to local governments will almost certainly be reduced. However, the mandates to the counties to provide services remain in place. This would be a tremendous burden for entities whose budgets are also currently strapped.
Of particular concern is how the burden of tax cuts and budget cuts could affect school districts which have increasingly numerous mandates issued by the state that restrict their ability to find relief and their flexibility to shift costs to meet their local needs. Community colleges could also suffer as costs shift downward and tuition exemptions and financial aid is reduced. Student needs become more difficult to meet and the shift in costs hinder our ability to have an educated workforce and vital economy in the future.
Criminal Justice is another area that already has huge disparities in state and local shares of costs. The indigent defense fund which requires legal counsel for any who needs assistance is in desperate financial condition. There are also mandates which include jail standards, prisoner expenses, witness reimbursement, and health care. There are many other local programs and activities affected by practically insurmountable mandates without raising taxes on local residents.
This legislation (HJR 56) that I am supporting will put in place safeguards that will protect our local governments from out of control budgets while we maintain financial responsibility at all levels of government.
