It will be interesting to see what Bemus Point Central School District voters decide on Sept. 5 in regard to purchasing electric school buses.

Voters are being asked to approve a Bond Anticipation Note to pay the $236,000 local share to purchase two electric school buses. The debt service will be paid over 12 years, while the project is eligible for 57.1% state transportation aid as well as an $80,000 federal tax credit. The total overall cost is expected to be $1,040,000 to include two buses, two charging stations and other soft costs.

We don’t disagree with Joseph Reyda, Bemus Point Central School superintendent, when he said Bemus Point receiving an EPA grant for electric school buses is like winning the lottery. The $400,000 from the EPA is quite the gift.

It’s worth noting, however, that four recent electric school bus purchase propositions were voted down in Central New York as voters rejected the state’s 2027 deadline to begin purchasing electric school buses and the 2036 deadline to transition entire bus fleets to electric buses. Baldwinsville voters approved purchasing diesel-powered buses while rejecting electric buses – a powerful statement from that district.

Receiving $400,000 from the federal government should, in theory, lessen the sticker shock for Bemus Point voters as they go to the polls on Sept. 5. Baldwinsville voters, however, had received a $200,000 grant and still rejected the electric bus proposition.

September 5 will be an interesting day both for Bemus Point voters and for state lawmakers. If another school district’s purchase of electric school buses is rejected by voters – particularly with a $400,000 federal grant on the line – it should become abundantly clear that another green mandate is about to fall by the wayside.