In blue New York State, plenty of voters this month saw red over expensive propositions to purchase green school buses.
Even in Ithaca, home of Cornell University and a community where residents and institutions have long trumpeted environmentalism and progressive ideals, taxpayers on May 21 overwhelmingly said ‘no’ to buying electric school buses (ESBs) priced at more than $400,000 each.
Similar ballot propositions failed at school districts across the state in recent weeks—Baldwinsville, Churchville-Chili, Newfield, Mexico, and Marathon, according to district websites, newsletters, and news reports. The size and wealth of those districts vary, but most were already struggling with declining state aid revenues before their annual school budget and board of education candidate votes.
“This technology is not ready for prime time,” said state Sen. George Borrello, who represents Jamestown. He previously led unsuccessful attempts by Republican state senators to repeal New York’s looming electric bus mandate requiring districts to replace gasoline or diesel fleets by 2035.
Under Gov. Kathy Hochul’s order, school districts cannot purchase fuel-powered buses after July 1, 2027, though there is a provision that extensions until 2029 will be considered. Yet many school districts across New York State just financed more diesel vehicles, which cost far less and are typically expected to last up to 10 years.
“Apparently, the climate crisis really isn’t a crisis if it makes your school taxes go up,” Mr. Borrello told The Epoch Times. “The votes show this policy mandate is on a collision course with the people of New York State.”
Voters decide on the vast majority of school district budgets in New York State. In addition, the creation of reserve funds, capital projects, and purchases that require financing, like buses, are decided on as separate propositions from the annual operating budget during those May referendums.
New York’s Environmental Bond Act of 2022 provides $500 million in aid for ESB purchases across the state. Still, considering the high prices of those vehicles, the number of fuel-powered buses that are now required to be replaced, and more than 700 public school districts competing for a slice of that pie, this mandate remains unpopular with many school leaders and voters. Moreover, school leaders from across the state have informed Mr. Borello and his coalition of 14 other senators who oppose the mandate that, despite large populations of low-income students, their districts still don’t meet the criteria for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grants that provide only the highest-need schools with millions of dollars for ESBs.
A glance at budget results across all regions of the state shows the vast majority of propositions that passed for the 2024-2025 academic year were for the purchase of diesel- or gasoline-powered buses at a cost of $130,000 to $170,000 each. The Shenendehowa district, north of Albany, secured voter approval for 23 new diesel buses
This list also includes Central Square, just north of suburban Syracuse. It’s the largest geographical district in the state at 200 square miles, and its bus fleet covers more than 1.5 million miles per year. On May 16, Central Square School District approved the purchase of 10 fuel-powered buses at a cost not to exceed $1.48 million.
Central Square Superintendent Thomas Colabufo said he agrees in principle that zero-emission vehicles should eventually replace those powered by fossil fuels. Still, given the financial constraints of public education, the short deadline for this state mandate is unreasonable and probably impossible to comply with.
Colabufo doubts ESBs could consistently make the longest round-trip pick-up route on one charge in the winter, let alone much longer rides for athletic events or field trips downstate. Under Central Square’s current long-term transportation plan, 10 of its 80 buses are replaced and traded in annually. Diesel vehicles are financed for five years, while a payment plan for ESBs would require 12 years even though their lifespans are less than seven years. And the district has already committed to financing more urgent facility improvements over the next decade.
Moreover, Mr. Colabufo added that the heavier ESBs would require new lifts in the bus garage. National Grid Utility company informed the district that it could not provide enough electricity for the charging stations.
“It’s not a reality for a district our size,” he said. “A more gradual build-out would be better.”
Mr. Borrello agrees with Mr. Colabufo that zero-emission vehicles are the future of school transportation, but getting there in a safe and financially responsible manner won’t happen by 2035 because ESB battery technology still has a long way to go. He proposes a pilot program where urban, suburban, and rural districts across the state monitor the performance and added costs of ESBs on a limited basis while still maintaining fuel-powered fleets.
Mr. Borrello said “a few” school districts within his constituency area have added one or two ESBs to its fleet, with mixed results; his Senate colleagues from across the state, varying from the most rural communities near the Canada border to the most crowded New York City suburbs, have reported the same thing. Voters in some districts, including Geneva and Middleburgh, have even approved a capital fund to start setting aside money for ESBs. Still, no districts have shown indications that they are totally on board with the state mandate.
The state mandate does not take into account the high costs of battery replacements and higher labor rates of skilled technicians. It doesn’t address the fleet backup protocols that require extra buses to remain on standby should a vehicle break down. And there is no standard risk assessment or safety plans for battery fires, which would be catastrophic inside a school bus, Mr. Borrello added.
“These are the reasons schools don’t want this,” he said. “What is the governor going to do if districts don’t comply? Is she going to cut funding? Issue fines?”
A look at school budget results across the state indicates that while the vast majority of approved bus purchases pertained to diesel vehicles, some districts, including Niskayuna and Scotia-Glenville in the Albany area, added ESB purchases within their propositions to buy several more fuel-powered buses.
Following the May school elections, the New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV) website stated that “voters in the overwhelming majority of school districts with ESBs on the ballot chose to approve new ESB purchases for their community, leaving little doubt as to where New Yorkers stand on the issue.”
However, only two districts, Pine Valley and Cassadaga Valley, were cited in the NYLCV website article. According to the districts’ own respective websites, the proposition that passed in Pine Valley was for one diesel bus and one ESB, and in Cassadaga Valley, the proposition was for a $500,000 reserve fund dedicated to a bus replacement program; it stated the looming mandate for ESBs and the intent to apply for zero-emission vehicle grants, but it did not commit to the purchase of ESBs for the coming school year.
The Epoch Times contacted the NYLCV for more information, but the call was not returned by press time.
