Steve Buyer: “as the recent elections have proven, the Washington-knows-best attitude can be no more. For too long the Federal…”

“as the recent elections have proven, the Washington-knows-best attitude can be no more. For too long the Federal Government has usurped the 10th amendment of the U.S. Constitution, the specific intent of our Founding Fathers. It has also stifled the growth of our Nation's businesses because of the cost of compliance with Federal mandates. It is time this body recognized States' rights and ensure States and local communities are allowed to determine how best to resolve their own problems. And, it must also be fully aware of burdens it is placing on the business community. The people of my district have elected several ingenuitive and responsible leaders in cities like Plymouth, Lowell, DeMotte, Warsaw, Knox, Peru, Kokomo, and Marion, as well as others. These elected officials have been challenged to solve local problems, create economic growth and development, and provide necessary services at minimal costs. However, recently, the Federal Government has redefined their responsibilities into being able to comply with Federal regulations, sift through the Federal bureaucracy to obtain grants and financial assistance, and practice budgetary wizardry to fund these mandates along with all of the necessary local programs. By shifting costs to local communities and setting its agenda, unfunded Federal mandates breach the underlying principles of federalism which assume a working partnership and shared responsibilities between the Federal, State, and local governments.”