The 2014 state legislative session is in its final month. The Governor, legislators and advocacy groups all are jockeying in attempt to get their favored legislation passed and signed into law before the legislative session concludes. The Assembly majority, which is dominated by downstate members, is pushing a number of agenda items including medical marijuana, publicly financed campaigns , and an expansion of abortion rights, to name a few. Unfortunately, there has been little or no discussion of passing legislation that will improve the business climate and create jobs in Upstate New York.

One measure that passed in the Assembly in these waning days of session was what has been euphemistically titled the DREAM Act. This legislation would, if enacted, make illegal immigrants eligible for the state's Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). In some respects, the fact that we, as a state, are dealing with this issue illustrates the failure of the federal government to enact comprehensive immigration reform. Nevertheless, I think it is troubling that we are providing state benefits to those who are in our country illegally. Accordingly, I voted against this bill as I have done in the past.

The central tenet of the American dream is that all citizens have the opportunity to seek a better life. Often, the opportunity to attend college is a pathway to that better life. To that end, in an effort to help New York students who come from families who may not otherwise be able to afford college, we have the TAP program, which this year provided $976.7 million in tuition assistance.

While this is a lot of money, because of the increasing pool of applicants and because of the increased cost of college, there is a constant need, year after year, to increase funding for the program. Indeed, over the last 14 years, TAP funding has increased from $636 million in 2000 to $976.7 million this year. If the DREAM Act were to become law, it would place an additional burden on the TAP program by expanding the pool of applicants to those who are not legally residing in the United States. By some estimates, this could cost the state as much as $20 million in additional TAP funding. This is money that could otherwise be spent on other priorities like healthcare, public schools and infrastructure.

While the Assembly now has passed the DREAM Act twice, earlier this year, the measure narrowly failed in the State Senate. In our state, where we continue to struggle economically, rather than spending political capital to get the DREAM Act passed, I would rather see our focus at the end of this session be placed on reducing the burden of government on our lives and businesses. That will be my efforts and focus during these last two weeks of session.

If you have any questions or comments on this or any other state issue, or if you would like to be added to my mailing list or receive my newsletter, please contact my office. My office can be reached by mail at 200 North Second Street, Fulton, New York 13069, be e-mail at barclaw@assembly.state.ny.us, or by calling (315) 598-5185. You also can friend me, Assemblyman Barclay, on Facebook.