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Ranzenhofer supports quick move by Senate to remove gap elimination for schools from budget

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

The New York State Senate has passed legislation that completely abolishes the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA) this year. Nearly $434 million in GEA cuts remain for schools in 2016-17.

Senator Michael Ranzenhofer voted in favor of the bill.

“One of the top priorities for this Legislative Session is to get rid of the GEA budgets cuts. I am proud to support the Senate-approved legislation as the first order of business. It’s time for the Assembly Democrats to join with us,” Ranzenhofer said.

Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed a phase-out of the GEA over two years during his State of the State address.

“We must end the disastrous GEA this year. The time is overdue to eliminate the GEA, along with its devastating impact on funding for public schools,” Ranzenhofer said. “Abolishing the GEA will finally restore millions of dollars in state aid to our schools and build a better future for our children.”

The GEA was first imposed in 2010 by former Governor David Paterson and the Democrats who controlled the Senate and Assembly. Senator Ranzenhofer voted against the GEA because it made severe cuts to the bottom lines of school districts in Western New York. Since it was first approved, Senator Ranzenhofer has been leading the charge to eradicate the GEA and deliver major funding increases to help mitigate its devastating impact on education.

In the past five years, the GEA cuts have been reduced by approximately 85 percent. Last year alone, Senator Ranzenhofer successfully pushed for an additional $603 million to help schools overcome the GEA challenge.

The bill has been sent to the State Assembly.

david spaulding

in 2010 this was a good idea, so good that it was imposed by elected officials. then it became a bad idea as soon as it was passed for it was reduced by 85 % since then.
wouldn't it be nice if we made school tax checks out to the district we live in and left Albany out of the whole equation. I am getting tired of paying my school tax bill only to have some suit in Albany dangle that money like a carrot in front of my school board and tell them how and what they must do in order to receive it. Think about it, what do the officials in Albany know about running a school district? it's all about control.

Jan 15, 2016, 5:10pm Permalink

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