On Wednesday, Assemblyman Joe Giglio (R,I,C-Gowanda) delivered hundreds of signed petitions to the Executive Chamber in the state Capitol to call on the governor to return over $1 million dollars swept from the Snowmobile Trail Development and Maintenance Fund. Legislative session ended for the year this week with legislation that would have returned the money to the snowmobile fund languishing in committee.

“The snowmobile fund was financed from increased registration fees for snowmobilers, with the promise that their money would be used for trail development and maintenance,” said Giglio. “The unwarranted transfer of over $1 million from the fund, not only broke the state’s promise to snowmobilers, but highlighted the need for meaningful budget reform. Unfortunately, legislative session ended this week and legislation that would have returned the money and protected the snowmobile from future raids was not allowed on the floor for a vote. That’s why I joined my Minority colleagues to deliver the petitions and demand the governor return the money.”

Under a budgetary provision, the state, can at the end of a fiscal cycle, re-appropriate any remaining money from funds, such as the Snowmobile Trail Development and Maintenance Fund, into a general appropriation. An investigation led by members of the Assembly Minority Conference, including Assemblyman Giglio, indicates that this was the case with the estimated $1 million remaining in the snowmobile fund.