Senate Majority Joins Seward’s Call To End Gap Elimination Adjustment

State Senator James Seward is announcing the Senate Majority Conference will join with him to fight to end the Gap Elimination Adjustment that has been short changing funding for public schools.

Seward says the Governor's budget has proposed a $1.1 billion increase in education funding, but that increase was not specifically tied to the elimination of the $1 billion needed for this year's GEA.

“I recently introduced legislation to eliminate the Gap Elimination Adjustment, and today, joined my colleagues to further advocate for the end of the GEA by providing necessary funding in the 2015-16 state budget,” said Senator Seward.  “To know that this issue is a top priority of the Senate Majority conference confirms how important it is to every school, every student, and every property taxpayer in New York State.”

The senate majority is planning to prepare its own budget proposal that will include revenue estimates for the next year and look for other sources of funding within the governor's proposal.

The conference will propose a budget that uses the majority of the $1.1 billion increase proposed in the Governor's budget - up to $600 million - with the goal to find an additional $300 to $400 million needed this fiscal year to eliminate the GEA once and for all.

“Ending the GEA will alleviate a major funding roadblock for local schools," Seward added. "This will mean more resources for classroom instruction and quality programs – that is what our students deserve and need so they can be ready for the next stage in their lives."

Senator Seward voted against the GEA when it was passed in 2009 and has lead efforts to restore the funding in recent state budgets. His legislation would eliminate the GEA entirely.