Assemblyman Edward Hennessey (D-Medford) expressed deep disappointment in Governor Cuomo’s decision to veto his bill that would have restored $1.17 million in building aid to the South Country Central School District (CSD) for green energy projects (A.7428).
“South Country made significant strides in going green and helping the environment while increasing energy efficiency which would also mean tax savings for property taxpayers,” Assemblyman Hennessey said. “We should be applauding South Country for their efforts and encouraging other school districts to follow their lead, not penalizing them and the community with cuts in their state building aid. This is exactly what’s wrong with our government: too much bureaucratic red tape.
The community approved a bond referendum enabling South Country to make solar improvements to school district buildings in order to increase their energy efficiency. In this way, the school district would save money through incentives provided by LIPA’s Solar Pioneer Program, with such savings being passed onto taxpayers. However, these savings and incentives were negated when the New York State Education Department (NYSED) cut building aid for the school district by the $1.17 million it would obtain from the LIPA incentives, claiming that the take-back was a result of the district receiving LIPA incentives for the solar project.
None of this was clear at the outset of the school district choosing to take the plunge and take on solar projects at each of their buildings. Further, district officials say they were told by NYSED that if they had simply not filed for LIPA incentives, the building aid would not have been decreased, Hennessey noted.
“State aid cuts are an unfair punishment to a school district that is making an effort to be energy- and cost-conscious,” Assemblyman Hennessey said.“I will continue to make every effort to see that these cuts to South Country’s building aid are promptly restored. Otherwise, school districts across the state will fail to see the tremendous value, both to their budgets and to our environment, in going green. Instead, they’ll fear that they too will be penalized for their efforts through cuts in state aid.”