Ending the Gap Elimination Adjustment (Gea)

Senator John A. DeFrancisco announced on February, 10, 2015, that the New York State Senate Republican Conference has outlined its plan to fully eliminate the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA). 

Under this plan, Senate Republicans are proposing to return $1 billion to schools statewide, by accelerating the complete elimination of the GEA in the 2015-16 State Budget.  The GEA, a budget-balancing scheme first imposed in 2010 by the then majority Democrats, has been placing a heavy financial burden on many school districts across New York state.

Senator DeFrancisco, and his fellow Senate Republicans, have since been leading the charge to eliminate the GEA.  Last year alone, they successfully negotiated in the State Budget an additional $600 million to help fill the gap.  This year, Senate Republicans feel confident that they will be able to identify the money necessary to totally eliminate the GEA. 

            “I have met with many school administrators, teachers and parents, who point to the GEA as one of their school district’s main financial burdens.  It has forced virtually every school district to cut programs, reduce services and increase class sizes - - hurting our students and increasing costs for local taxpayers.  We need to eliminate the GEA, once and for all,” concluded Senator DeFrancisco.

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