Unfunded Mandates Quotes

The most politically painless way to hand out goodies, without taking responsibility for their costs, is to pass a law saying that somebody else must provide those goodies at their expense, while the politicians take credit for generosity and compassion.

That’s what politicians do all the time. They promise you something, they don’t provide the money for it, and then they kick the can down the road and pass on the bill to the next generation.

Congress seems to thrive on breaking promises and passing unfunded mandates down to local government. It's really just a matter of priorities.

Why should a city be mandated to do something by the federal government or state government without the money to do it?

For too long, unfunded federal mandates have drained the budgets of states and communities. The strength and vitality of our communities must be restored.

Every day President Bush and Congress refuse to fulfill their obligation to special ed is another day Wisconsin property taxpayers are stuck with the bill. It's unfair, irresponsible and must stop.

In the rush to become all things to all people, the federal government has lost sight of its core responsibilities. As a result we're stuck in this frustrating paradox where Washington actually neglects things it's clearly supposed to be doing, while interfering in other areas where they are neither welcome nor authorized.

Other than the war in Iraq the Katrina disaster, the deficit, the CIA leak, torture, stopping stem cell research, homeland security, global warming and undercutting science, we've yet to really feel the negative effects of the George W. Bush administration

I think the governors would all agree that what we don't want from the federal government is unfunded mandates.

There is no such thing as a 'free' government benefit. Ask small-business owners who are footing skyrocketing bills for bottomless jobless benefits.

To pay the price of federal mandates, local governments must cut the services that they are in the business of providing ... To Congress we say, if you're going to pass the bill, don't pass us the buck.

As a kid who grew up in Montana, I resent regulation being formulated and forced in Washington from bureaucrats that have never been to Montana.

Plans without price tags are simply pandering.

Unfunded mandates are an insidious way for government at one level to pass on to governments at a lower level responsibility for the funding of programs. Governments at the higher levels can take credit for instituting the program, but lower levels of government have to produce the funding.