YONKERS, NY: Is it legal for Yonkers School District to fund lawsuit against New York State?

Is it legal for Yonkers School District to fund lawsuit against New York State?

Is the Yonkers School Board of Trustees acting in proper behavior? They are using public funds for the lawsuit against New York State. They are going to use $2.5 Million for the lawyers for this case. They are funding a not for profit group headed by Thomas Weibrecht in terms of Citizens For Yonkers. Is it legal to use public funds for a lawsuit? Didn’t NYC use donations from foundations, individual donations & volunteer legal help to with the CFE case in NYC? The question couldn’t this $2.5 Million be better placed in our classrooms. Are the Board of the trustees skirting the law? But as the old saying it is in the eye of the beholder. Yonkers needs to do things above board in this case. As they head for trial in June.

Weibrecht says the board has the authority to fund this group with the lawsuit. It could be a legal opinion from an independent person that would tell truth from fiction. There are two cases that in which State Appeals Courts cited cases barring municipalities from using public funds to aid private plaintiffs. It is important be in the parameters of the law in this case. There must be no gray area on this issue. One thing for sure is that Yonkers will be watching the behavior of the board of the trustees on this issue & counting if there are any other monies needed to put in this case of public money. The Yonkers Insider will be keeping you informed of any further developments on this issue. Also, Yonkers Tribune will have an article on this issue as well tomorrow