Roberts Blasts Unfunded Education Mandates

Fresh off the news of Governor Chafee’s push, and resulting decision by the Board of Governors for Higher Education to allow illegal aliens to attend State colleges at the in-state tuition rate, School Committee candidate takes aim at unfunded mandates.

“Don’t think for a minute that this won’t have a trickle-down effect on cities like Woonsocket. Illegal aliens will only flock to Woonsocket in greater numbers so that their kids can get primed to attend our state schools at legal, resident citizen pricing,” said Roberts in a press release.

Acknowledging that there are limitations in the role a School Committee member can play in this battle, Roberts promises to work closely with Woonsocket’s State Representatives and Senators. “We need to be one united team when it comes to working and negotiating with the State. Unfunded mandates are at the root of the problem, and we need a School Committee that is proactively lobbying for the citizens of Woonsocket.”

“The current level of pension debt is going to require increased contributions from our school system with virtually no new dollars coming in, and unfunded mandates will be my first target to free up dollars,” said Roberts, adding “Any new funds we secure are going to be used for pension debt and not educational needs, such as new textbooks, technology upgrades, and the like. The youth of Woonsocket didn’t create the pension debt, and need a strong voice fighting to provide them with the best.”