Daily Archives: May 12, 2005

Unfunded Mandates

Real ID (from Wired News)

The National Governors Association is threatening lawsuits to fight the legislation. And some states are threatening to ignore the legislation because they say it will cost up to $700 million for states to comply and will place a heavy burden on Department of Motor Vehicles workers.

A spokeswoman for the governors’ association did not return calls for comment. But Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Republican, told the Associated Press this week that “if more than half of the governors agree we’re not going down without a fight on this, Congress will have to consider changing” the rules.

The states are complaining that this is an “unfunded mandate” and it will cost too much and be too much work. What about all the unfunded mandates that the states impose on their citizenry? If I want to drive my vehicle, I must register it with the state at a cost (in Illinois, this year) of $78.00 ($98.00 if it’s late). The state does not give me any aid with this. I must fund the total cost myself. In my town, if I want to build a fence around my yard, I am mandated to purchase a building permit prior to construction of the fence. I do not get any help with that either. I am also mandated to maintain my yard. I must pay for the lawnmower to keep the yard down to a certain level. If I do not, the town will send out a crew and bill me for cutting the lawn. No help there either. There are probably many more examples of “unfunded mandates” imposed on the citizenry out there. Glass houses.

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