SENATOR CROCI ANNOUNCES THE SENATE PASSES LEGISLATION TO FULLY RESTORE THE GAP ELIMINATION ADJUSTMENT

Media Contacts:                                                                                                                                           

Christine Geed, Communications Specialist

geed@nysenate.gov or (631) 398-8044

Jennifer Romero, Press Secretary

jromero@nysenate.gov or (631) 513-5657

PRESS RELEASE

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

For Immediate Release

Hauppauge, NY – Senator Thomas Croci (R, C, I – Sayville) announced today that the New York State Senate has voted to fully restore the school funding cuts known as the Gap Elimination Adjustment.  The GEA was enacted under Governor David Paterson in 2010 when the Democrats had control of the Senate, causing severe cuts to funding for public school districts in New York.

This week the Senate passed Senate bill No. S6377, cosponsored by Senator Croci, which aims to fully restore the nearly $434 million in GEA budget reductions to school districts for the 2016-2017 school year.

“Fully restoring the GEA cuts were and will remain a top priority for me, and the Senate has made it clear to both the Assembly and the Governor that we will not pass any budget that does not fully restore these budget cuts to our school districts. Last year, we secured a historic amount of state aid to our schools, over $600 million, in an effort to help districts overcome the GEA cuts that have devastated schools. Fully restoring the GEA has been long-deserved– especially for our school administrators, teachers, parents and students,” stated Senator Croci.

Since taking control of the Senate, Senate Republicans have been able to restore eighty-five percent of the GEA. This bill will restore the remaining fifteen percent and will be sent to the Assembly.

All media inquiries should be directed to Senator Croci’s Communications Specialist, Christine Geed at (631) 398-8044 (call or text) or via email at geed@nysenate.gov. Inquiries for additional information should be directed to Senator Croci’s Press Secretary, Jennifer Romero at (631) 513-5657 or via email at jromero@nysenate.gov

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