Gov. Rick Perry has announced the formation of the bipartisan Task Force on Unfunded Mandates, which will identify burdensome unfunded mandates that have been passed down from the state to local governments, such as cities, counties and school districts. The task force will make their recommendations to the governor in March on how to best alleviate these burdens on local entities.
“As we look for ways to streamline government and ensure the most prudent use of taxpayer dollars, we should also ensure we are not burdening local authorities with unfunded mandates as they face their own budget challenges,” Gov. Perry said. “I look forward to receiving the recommendations from this bipartisan task force featuring local officials who understand the needs of their communities, as removing these extra costs will help local governments better and more efficiently serve their constituents.”
The task force members are as follows:
Annise Parker – Mayor, City of Houston
John Cook – Mayor, City of El Paso
Bob Holder – Comal County Sheriff
Susan Narvaiz – former Mayor, City of San Marcos
Mike Sullivan – Houston City Councilman
Carlos Cascos – Cameron County Judge
Keith Self – Collin County Judge
Brett Ligon – Montgomery County District Attorney
Mary Ann Whiteker – Hudson Independent School District Superintendent
Press Release: http://governor.state.tx.us/news/press-release/15749/