Yesterday, Gov. Cuomo announced his plan to offer free college tuition to families making $125,000 a year or less via the Excelsior Scholarship by the year 2019. Based on enrollment projections, the governor estimates the cost of the plan at approximately $163 million per year once fully phased in.

“I am fully supportive of giving every young adult the opportunity to pursue higher education should they wish to do so,” said Morinello. “However, we must tread carefully when spending taxpayer dollars. There is legislation such as the “Learning for Work” program, which would help decrease the cost of college while providing tax credits for participating businesses. Implementing sustainable programs is far more beneficial than just throwing money at a problem.”