Seward On Conference Committee

For Education, Higher Ed Budgets

ALBANY – State Sen. Jim Seward, R-Milford, has been named to the 10-legislator conference committee – five senators, five assemblymen – charged with negotiating budget differences between the two houses in the areas of education and higher education.

In a statement, Seward said the senate version, if it can be largely preserved, will achieve “two of my primary goals, … ending the disastrous Gap Elimination Adjustment and significantly raising school aid through a fair and equitable formula.”

“I … will also focus on the education ‘reforms’ proposed by the governor” – using Common Core testing to remove failing teachers and take over failing schools, issues that have caused considerable concern in Otsego County in recent weeks.

The committees conduct open, public meetings which can be viewed on-line at nysenate.gov.

“Bipartisan conference committees have played a major role in producing four straight on-time budgets, and I am confident this process will deliver again this year.  A final budget that cuts taxes, grows jobs, holds the line on state spending, and provides for our future is within reach,” Seward was quoted as saying.