Mandate relief for the long haul

New council chairman sees no quick end to cost-cutting efforts as panel starts mission

By RICK KARLIN, Capitol bureau

Published 10:43 p.m., Wednesday, January 25, 2012

ALBANY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo's 11-member Mandate Relief Council made its formal debut on Wednesday, and they promised that they weren't going away any time soon.

"Mandate relief is not a one-year task," said Larry Schwartz, who chairs the council and serves as Cuomo's top aide. Schwartz also chaired the recently dissolved Mandate Redesign Team, which issued its final recommendations late last year.

Council members will continue to explore ways to trim or even reduce unneeded mandates, or regulations that are imposed on local governments and school districts and which drive up their costs and consequently, the amount of money they charge property taxpayers.

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