Local officials complain about unfunded mandates

Monday, Nov. 12, 2001 | 8:23 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- State lawmakers grumble about federal laws that require them to spend money they don't have, but the Legislature is equally guilty of passing laws that cost local governments, a legislative committee was told Friday.

"The state complains about unfunded federal mandates, but they do the same to us," the Committee on Local Finance in Carson Citywas told by Marvin Leavitt, retired finance director for the city of Las Vegas who is now a consultant for the Nevada League of Cities. "We don't have anybody we can do it to."

Henderson has faced millions of dollars in costs from a 1999 law that allowed police and firemen to be covered under industrial insurance polices for heart and lung diseases, Phil Stoeckinger, special projects accountant for city, said.

"These are important and very good things, but we don't have the revenue to go with them," Stoeckinger said.

In 1992 Nevada voters approved an advisory question that the state should not require local governments to pick up new programs without finding a way to pay for them. The Legislature passed a law to prohibit that practice, but lawmakers also provided an escape clause.

On many of the bills imposing new costs on local governments, a section says the mandatory funding law does not apply to the topic being addressed. In the 2001 Legislature, the exemption was written into 86 bills. In 1999 it was in 40 bills.

California, said Stoeckinger, has a law that local governments get reimbursed for any new state mandate. But he doesn't know if that would work here because the state is facing its own financial problems.

As an example of unfounded mandates, Stoeckinger said the 2001 Legislature enacted the "Safe Haven" act that allowed parents to drop off their unwanted infants at fire or police stations or hospitals without any questions asked.

"This was very important and a good thing," Stoeckinger said, but added there's no revenue from the state to pick up these costs. Outside the meeting, he said, the rough estimated cost to local governments is $6,000 to $7,000 per child.

Another new law requires workers compensation coverage for police and firemen for hepatitis C, but no money was provided.

Stoeckinger urged the committee to look for ways to help local governments finance such costs.

A solution "is not easy," Leavitt said. One question is who would determine the costs of a program -- the Legislature or local governments.