Nassau Standard

Assemblyman John Mikulin (R,C-Bethpage) expressed his concerns at a press conference held on Feb. 25 regarding the school bus electrification in New York state. The conference, led by Sen. Steve Rhoads, aimed to urge Governor Hochul to reconsider fully implementing the Electric School Bus Mandate statewide. Mikulin, along with other officials including Assemblyman Ari Brown (R-Cedarhurst), Assemblyman Brian Curran (Lynbrook-21st A.D.), Bob Vecchio, Executive Director of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association, and Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, highlighted the financial challenges that schools in Long Island and beyond could face if the mandate proceeds unchecked.

"While I am an advocate for environmental policy in New York state, delivering a heavy-handed mandate like this to our school districts is an irresponsible decision," Mikulin stated. He emphasized the significant costs associated with electric school buses and the additional expenses for upgrading infrastructure to support them. Mikulin cautioned that many school districts may not be financially prepared for such a transition and stressed the importance of reevaluating the timeline for the mandate's full implementation.

The call to "pump the brakes" on the Electric School Bus Mandate was made in light of the potential financial hardships that schools could endure if immediate action is taken without proper consideration. Mikulin's stance reflects the need for a more sustainable approach to implementing environmental initiatives in the education sector.