Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R,C,I,Ref-Pulaski) issued the following statement after Gov. Cuomo’s veto of Assembly Bill A09951, which would have restored $1.6 million in transportation aid to the Fulton City School District.  

“The governor’s veto is senseless, shortsighted and punishes the students, parents and residents of the Fulton City School District. This measure has the overwhelming support of both houses of the Legislature and is an overdue step to provide critical school funding that had previously been approved. Fixing a simple clerical error in the district should not be this difficult. The governor is making a bad situation worse and creating more financial pressure for the school district at a time when they can least afford it.”   

Several years ago, the district extended the contractual agreement with its transportation provider for the 2016-17 school year. Due to a clerical error, the state Education Department did not receive the contract and transportation aid was nullified. Leader Barclay’s bill to restore the funding passed the Assembly by a vote of 143-1 in June.