O'Mara: Electric school buses the largest unfunded mandate ever; will crush real property taxpayers

Описание: Albany, N.Y., January 29—State Senator Tom O'Mara (R,C--Big Flats), Ranking Member on the Senate Finance Committee, is joining legislative colleagues in Albany for what will be a monthlong series of joint Senate-Assembly hearings on Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed 2026-2027 New York State budget.

On Thursday, the hearing is examining the governor’s specific proposals for elementary and secondary education.

The Commissioner of the New York State Education Department, Dr. Betty A. Rosa, testified before the panel earlier today and faced questioning from legislators, including O’Mara, on a range of concerns and issues.

O’Mara focused his questioning on a proposal in Governor Hochul’s proposed budget that would increase the main source of state aid to local school districts, Foundation Aid, by just 1% for nearly 70% of schools.

“The very vast majority of the schools in upstate New York that are rural are at that 1% (increase level). That 1% isn’t even going to cover their increase in energy costs that have gone up, let alone electric buses,” O’Mara said.

He highlighted the ramifications of the Foundation Aid proposal and its impact on already overburdened school districts and property taxpayers and asked, rhetorically, “Does massively increasing property taxes impact the affordability of people living in New York State?”

He added, “The voters are voting with their feet, and they are leaving this state. One of the most significant issues is the high property taxes, school taxes being the highest of all.”

The senator also zeroed in on one of the biggest concerns facing school districts across the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions he represents, and statewide: the state’s All-Electric School Bus mandate. He noted that a proposal in Hochul’s executive budget would make green energy projects undertaken by schools eligible for Building Aid reimbursement, but that the plan doesn’t include electric buses.

“Electric school buses are going to be the largest unfunded mandate we’ve ever put upon our school districts and it’s going to crush the real property taxpayer,” O’Mara said.

He asked Commissioner Rosa what the ramifications would be if school district voters vote No on electric school buses. Would a district still have to move forward on the all-electric school bus mandate under current law?

Education department officials responded that there was “no black and white answer” and that it would “be helpful to have the Legislature’s consensus on that question as this was a legislative initiative.”

“Not a very well thought out one and a very expensive one,” O’Mara responded.

Senator O'Mara has served as the Ranking Member on the Senate Finance Committee since 2021.

"We welcome the start of this year’s budget hearings, at this critical time, for direct input and critique on a range of policy areas that will decide the short- and long-term future and strength of our local communities and economies.” said Senator O’Mara, who represents the 58th Senate District comprised of Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, and Yates counties, and a part of Allegany County.

Read more and find the full hearings schedule on www.omara.nysenate.gov.