Assembly Republicans have own plan to make college more affordable
Provided photo: Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R-Batavia) is pictured with a display of the “Affordable College for All Initiative” which was proposed on Monday by the Assembly Minority Conference.
The Republican Minority in the State Assembly presented it plan to make college more affordable on Monday.
The Republicans put out its plan after Gov. Andrew Cuomo launched his own initiative for free tuition for middle class families at state-run community colleges and four-year universities.
The Republican plan calls for a number of higher education reforms that would help a greater number of students to afford college and those who are struggling to pay off student loans, State Assemblyman Steve Hawley, R-Batavia, said on Monday.
Among the proposals are measures to increase the maximum award per student under the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and increase the household income cap threshold for more students to qualify for TAP. Furthermore, the Assembly Minority Conference is proposing that principle and interest be tax deductible for student loan payments.
“A college education is one of the gateways to a more prosperous future,” Hawley said in a press release. “The governor’s taxpayer-funded college tuition proposal is limiting in the number of students that will be affected, while our proposal will aid more low-income students and those in graduate school. We cannot continue to alienate graduate students and those pursuing an advanced degree. A better-educated New York means more financially-stable families and more career-ready students upon graduation.”
