Kaminsky Celebrates the End of the GEA, Major Boost in LI School Funding

Cait R Friday, April 1, 2016

South Shore, Long Island – Today, in anticipation of the Assembly vote on the recent budget deal, Assemblyman and former federal prosecutor Todd Kaminsky celebrated the end of Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA) and the major boost in South Shore school funding. Kaminsky had long fought to end the GEA because it was fundamentally unfair to steal money from Long Island school districts - especially when the state faces a budget surplus. The GEA, which will now be a thing of the past, was costing Nassau County Schools over $45million dollars.

Todd Kaminsky proudly co-sponsored legislation and lobbied his colleagues to eliminate the GEA because Long Island families were getting ripped off by an unfair budget gimmick. In 2015, the GEA was cut in half but still had an outsized effect on Long Island Schools. This year, the legislature will finally approve a plan to eliminate it, once and for all.

“Today is a great day for Long Island parents, students, teachers, and schools,” said Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky. “After years of suffering under an unfair budget gimmick, our schools will finally get the funding they truly deserve. I’m thrilled that the legislature will adopt our plan to finally eliminate the GEA and this year, Nassau County Schools will receive an addition $45million as a result - a boost of over $18million for Southwest Nassau. This is a major victory for everyone involved but it is especially good news for our students, who need and deserve every possible resource to grow and fulfill their potential.”

“I’m a proud product of Long Island public schools and I will continue fighting to make sure they receive every penny they deserve,” Kaminsky continued. “Our school districts are the backbone of our community. It’s why I fought hard to get South Shore districts an across-the-board increase last year, and did so again this year. Eliminating the GEA has not come easy. It took constant pressure from all sides. But our community banded together and our local schools can reach new heights as a result.”

In total, Southwest Nassau schools received a major increase in state aid this year. The table below outlines exactly how much each South Shore district will gain as a result of the budget agreement:

Long Beach	$2,640,885
Oceanside	$2,588,514
Lawrence	$995,264
Hewlett	$964,166
East Rockaway	$458,084
Island Park	$109,418
Valley Stream 13	$912,169
Valley Stream CHS	$639,268
Valley Stream 20	$492,884
Valley Stream UF	$334,596
West Hempstead	$762,440
Lynbrook	$1,579,569
Rockville Centre	$744,006
Malverne	$458,990
Elmont	$2,580,632
Baldwin	$2,275,944
TOTAL	$18,536,829

The 9th Senate District seat became automatically vacant upon the conviction of Dean Skelos in December on charges of bribery, extortion and conspiracy. The Special Election to replace Skelos will take place on April 19th.

As an Assistant US Attorney, Kaminsky successfully prosecuted former Senator Pedro Espada, Jimmy Meng, Michael Grimm, and others.

About Todd Kaminsky
Assemblyman Kaminsky has spent his career fighting for Long Island families and working to end government corruption. As a federal prosecutor representing Long Island, Brooklyn and Queens, and as acting deputy chief of the Public Integrity Section, Todd took down corrupt elected officials, drug kingpins and other major felons.

In 2014, Todd was elected to represent the South Shore in the New York State Assembly. During his first term, Todd fought for and won ethics reforms, tax breaks, aid for Sandy victims, and a new emergency center at South Nassau Communities Hospital. Todd authored the most laws by a first-year assemblymember in recent New York State history.

caitr@longisland.com

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