New York State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF-Sag Harbor) today announced that the 2016-17 State Budget will increase State Aid to Education by $1.47 billion or 6.3%, a total of more than $24.7 billion. The budget also provides $322 million to fully eliminate the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA) once and for all, putting an end to the hardship it has caused our schools and to the burden it has placed on local taxpayers. Finally doing away with the GEA will help prevent teacher layoff and program cuts, notes Assemblyman Thiele. Thiele stated, “The focus on improving quality education is a goal I fully support. This State aid proposal accomplishes that goal for Long Island and New York State.”