School Transportation Officials Comment on Budget, Mandate Relief

ALBANY, NY (02/16/2011)(readMedia)-- The New York Association for Pupil Transportation today offered formal statement to the State Legislature regarding the Executive Budget Proposal for Fiscal Year 2011-2012.

On behalf of the Association membership, Executive Director, Peter Mannella, appeared before the Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means Committee Joint Hearings to present a formal statement. Mannella issued this statement in summary:

"The Governor's 2011-2012 Proposed Executive Budget contains measures that are intended to reduce the overall costs of school transportation, that is a so-called 'expense-driven aid.' We are concerned that these proposals will not ultimately result in lower costs for the state and our schools. Moreover, we are concerned that they could adversely affect school transportation operations, efficiency and student safety. The transportation of 2.3 million of our children requires us to take cautious and well-prepared actions. We do not believe that these cost cutting proposals meet that test."

"Our association has advanced more than a dozen mandates that could save as much as $200 million in this school year and future years. We urge the legislature and the Governor to consider implementation of some or all of those ideas. We believe that they will yield more cost savings than those contained in the proposed budget."

"School transportation programs are efficient operations and have become increasingly cost effective with new technologies and management strategies. The state needs to recognize that the transportation offices and providers in our school districts are responding to demands placed on them by the state and by local needs. When the state imposes costly requirements on transporting students, it cannot then say "transportation is spending too much money and needs to become more efficient." The answer is to remove or modify some of the actual reasons for the costs. We urge the State to recognize this and work with us to reduce or adjust those particular costs."

"We recognize the very difficult circumstances our state is in financially and have offered some concrete recommendations for change that will save money. We urge the Legislature to consider these and to either reject or make significant modifications to the Executive Budget Proposal."

For further information about these issues or about the New York Association for Pupil Transportation, visit our website (www.nyapt.org) or contact us at 518-463-4937. SEE BUDGET STATEMENT ATTACHED.