According to Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo (D-Endwell), mandate relief must be an integral part of budget negotiations. “The economic crisis we are facing provides us with the opportunity to address specific mandate relief requests from educators, health care providers, municipalities and others,” she said. “Given the severity of proposed budget cuts, now is the time to remove costly and unnecessary bureaucratic requirements. Conference committees should convene to not only address the deficit, but to explore efficiencies and mandate relief opportunities,” said Lupardo.

Assemblywoman Lupardo has been promoting a package of bills designed to relieve mandates that specifically effect local school districts and BOCES. Yesterday, the Assembly passed the School Paperwork Elimination and Reduction Act (A.9035), which she co-sponsored. This bill would eliminate or streamline planning and reporting requirements placed on school districts and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) by reducing duplicative and burdensome separate reporting systems.

“This legislation provides much needed cost savings to school districts and BOCES,” said Richard Iannuzzi, President of New York State United Teachers (NYSUT). “It would eliminate outdated and burdensome reporting requirements, while allowing planning efforts to be focused on students rather than the process.”

Assemblywoman Lupardo is also co-sponsoring the Education Mandate Relief Act (A.10130), which would relieve school districts of burdensome mandates. For example, it would allow school districts to delay the implementation of mandates for one year if they impose additional costs and were created after the adoption of the school's budget. Additionally, the bill would require BOCES to convene committees of school and community leaders in each BOCES region to recommend options for school district consolidation and shared services.

Next week, Assemblywoman Lupardo will introduce legislation designed to provide greater spending flexibility to the 37 state school districts that receive Contracts for Excellence funding. Locally, that would apply to the City of Binghamton School District.

“While attempting to meet the expectations of the public, and state and federal government, school districts continue to see increasing costs for fuel, health insurance and retirement,” said Al Buyck, Superintendent of Broome-Tioga BOCES. “We appreciate Assemblywoman Lupardo’s support for mandate relief, which will help provide us with the flexibility to cut expenses by reducing non-instructional and administrative costs.”