"The MORE Commission has provided an invaluable seat at the table with state legislators, to work together on solutions to a wide range of municipal concerns. Towns and cities are already well versed in doing more with less but, need the General Assembly to enact meaningful relief from unfunded state mandates and greater incentives for regional cooperation."

"Under Speaker Sharkey's leadership, the MORE Commission has served as an incubator for innovative policies centered on a core guiding principal: that our communities can serve taxpayers more efficiently and effectively by working together. The MetroHartford Alliance has long been an advocate for regional cooperation and is committed to working with Speaker Sharkey and legislators on both sides of the aisle to develop solutions that help our communities grow and thrive through collaboration."

"Encouraging towns to work together to deliver services more efficiently is critical to achieving cost savings on the local level. The Connecticut Council of Small Towns (COST) applauds the efforts of the MORE Commission to assist municipalities in exploring opportunities for collaboration."

"From the beginning of Speaker Sharkey's efforts through the MORE Commission, CREC realized that this approach to regional collaboration was the most effective way to ensure cost containment and to increase the amount of funds reaching classrooms. Cost containment is essential in order for the state of Connecticut to continue to fund education at a level that ensures high achievement for all children in all school districts. CREC offers our ongoing support and collaboration for this initiative."

"The work of the MORE Commission is laying the foundation for more extensive collaboration between both school districts and municipalities. The RESC Alliance is pleased to offer our support for the work of the MORE Commission to identify programs and practices that assist school districts and municipalities with realizing cost savings through voluntary collaboration."

"We commend Speaker Sharkey and the other committed lawmakers who have sought to reduce taxes and shape efficiencies in Connecticut's local government. The creation of affordable homes for the tens of thousands of low- and moderate-income households who desperately need them are likely to be enhanced by the knowledge, experience and capacity that could result from regional cost- and asset- sharing. We look forward to the MORE Commission's work on affordable housing creation and wise land-use and development."

"As part of our commitment to 'solution-driven unionism' we welcome a meaningful discussion about the regionalization of local services, including public education, where appropriate. Cost savings could allow towns to focus on what matters most; the delivery of municipal services and quality classroom instruction. We applaud the Speaker for his ongoing efforts to achieve greater efficiency without sacrificing a quality education for students and families throughout Connecticut. Another example of the kind of regionalization we have long supported is 'pooling' municipal employee healthcare costs to reduce the burden on state and local taxpayers. The Connecticut Partnership Plan is the kind of better choice that elected leaders at all levels can make to invest scarce resources into vital services instead of duplicative administrative fees."

"As the school-age population across Connecticut continues to decline, we recognize the need to strategically plan for the future. Regionalization is one possible solution that can offer more opportunities for students, while helping to control local property tax burdens for funding public education."