Senator Gallivan Joins Colleagues in Voting to Abolish the GEA

Senator Patrick M. Gallivan (R-C-I, Elma) announces the New York State Senate today passed a bill (S6377) to abolish the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA) this year.  The legislation, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan, (R-C-I, East Northport) would end the devastating impact the GEA has had on state funding to public schools. Nearly $434 million in GEA cuts remain for New York schools in 2016-17 and this proposal would permanently eliminate those budget reductions.

“Eliminating the GEA once and for all is our number one priority when it comes to education funding this year,” Gallivan said.  “School districts across New York have been hurt by these devastating cuts for far too long, especially rural districts.”    

The bill is part of the Senate Republicans’ longstanding priority to make record investments in education in New York State.

The GEA was first imposed on New Yorkers in 2010 by former Governor David Paterson and the New York City legislators who controlled the Senate and Assembly.  The Senate Republican Majority has been leading the charge to abolish the GEA and deliver major funding increases to help mitigate its impact on education. In the past five years, the GEA cuts have been reduced by approximately 85 percent to $434 million in the 2015-16 budget. Last year alone, the Senate successfully negotiated an additional $603 million to help schools overcome the GEA. 

The bill will be sent to the Assembly.       

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