Gov. Andrew Cuomo during the 2019 State Budget presentation on Tuesday, Jan. 16.

ALBANY – Community Colleges throughout New York State would likely suffer from a funding cut under Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed 2019 state budget.

The spending plan, which was released on Tuesday in Albany, includes a flat funding formula for the state’s 30 community colleges – including the one here in Jamestown – based on the number of full-time students. However, due to declining enrollment, that means about $18 million in state aid will be cut for the two-year schools.

Officials from community colleges say that a combination of factors have led to declining enrollment, including – most recently – the Excelsior Scholarship program. Excelsior covers the cost of tuition at 4-year schools for state residents who meet certain financial requirements. That means fewer of them are going to community colleges to help save money.

Senator Catherine Young (R-Olean)

State Senator Cathy Young (R-Olean), who chairs the senate finance committee, tells WRFA that if possible, she would like to see some of the money restored.

“They will be a priority of the legislature and if we can find the funds, one of my priorities would be to be able to restore [funding] for community colleges. They are fantastic educational institutions. They train people to be successful in the workforce. They employ a lot of people. And they are important to the fabric of our communities, not only in Chautauqua County but also in Cattaraugus County, so we’ll be taking a very hard look at the governor’s proposal,” Young said.

Officials with the State University of New York system – which oversee both community colleges and the four year state institutions – are calling on state lawmakers to come up with a new model that would stabilize the campuses. The say they will share more details about the community college funding model with the governor and the legislature as the budget process moves forward in Albany.

The State Capitol, Albany NY.

ALBANY – State lawmakers have finally come to an agreement on a new state budget.

Upstate Uber, increased tuition assistance, and more money for schools are just a few of the items in the new $152 billion state budget poised for passage today in the State Legislature.

Late Tuesday night the state Senate began debate over the spending plan after lawmakers and Gov. Andrew Cuomo resolved a stalemate that forced them to blow past a Saturday budget deadline.

The Senate planned to return to wrap up their voting today, when the Assembly also planned to take up the budget.

The budget legislation keeps taxes flat, increases public education spending by $1 million, raises college tuition assistance by enacting the free-tuition“Excelsior Scholarship” program, and invests $2.5 billion in upgrades for the state’s aging water infrastructure.

It also would allow Uber and Lyft to expand into upstate cities like Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany. The two app-based ride-hailing services are now limited to the New York City area.

Another provision – and perhaps the most contested in stalled negotiations – would end the automatic prosecution and incarceration of 16- and 17-year-old offenders as adults. The “Raise the Age” issue was a priority for both the Governor and democrats in the legislature, but Senate Republicans had balked on the issue, saying youthful offenders who commit violent crimes should still be punished for their deeds – although they agreed they shouldn’t be jailed with adult prison inmates.

The budget was due by Saturday, when the state began a new fiscal year. But it was delayed by disagreement over the juvenile justice reform piece, as well as education funding and an affordable housing tax credit for New York City developers.

The State Capitol, Albany NY.

ALBANY – Both the State Assembly and State Senate’s one-house budgets have recommended changes to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s $163 million proposal to offer free tuition at public colleges in New York to some middle-class students.

Cuomo’s plan – known as the Excelsior Scholarship Program – would have the state pay the tuition at public colleges and universities for students who have a combined family income of up to $125,000 a year when the plan is fully phased in in two years. It also includes incentives to ensure that more students graduate on time, including requiring that students complete the full-time requirement of 30 credits per year. It does not cover room and board, books and mandatory fees.

Senate Republicans, in their one-house budget resolution, alter the governor’s plan by not offering free tuition to public colleges, but instead taking the suggestion of the private colleges and enlarging the existing TAP program. The GOP plan would increase the maximum aid award to $5,500 a year, and increase income eligibility to $125,000 a year. The Senate plan would add new credit requirements to TAP to encourage graduation in four years.

Assembly Democrats, in their budget plan, adopt much of the governor’s proposal. Speaker Carl Heastie said the proposal would increase the income eligibility to families making $150,000 a year.

With the two one-house budget resolutions in place, the governor, along with the leaders of the assembly and the senate, will now work to negotiate and come to an agreement on the final state budget in the process that has been dubbed “Three-Men-in-a-Room.”  The budget deadline is April 1.

Originally airing Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017.

WRFA Public Affairs Director Jason Sample talks with NYS Assemblyman Andy Goodell about the 2017-18 executive budget, offered by Gov. Andrew Cuomo earlier this month. Goodell offers his thoughts on what he considers good aspects of the spending proposal, along with concerns with other areas, including the Excelsior Scholarship initiative, which would provide free tuition at SUNY schools for low and middle income students.

Andy Goodell

NY Governor Andrew Cuomo

ALBANY – Governor Andrew Cuomo Thursday unveiled a new Enhanced Middle Class Child Care Tax Credit that he says will help more than 200,000 middle class families make their child care more affordable.

For many families, limited access to these programs can force parents to choose between providing safe, quality child care arrangements and work.

The Enhanced Middle Class Child Care Tax Credit would supplement the current New York State Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit and more than double the benefit for families earning between $60,000 and $150,000.

The announcement was part of a series of proposals for 2017 the governor is promoting in advance of his state of the state message next week. On Tuesday the governor announced his first proposal, – The Excelsior Scholarship – which was providing free college education to low and middle income families.  On Wednesday he presented a vision plan to transform JFK International Airport into an airport equipped to meet increased demands.

Governor Andrew Cuomo (left) stands with Vermont Senator and former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders during the unveiling of the Excelsior Program on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2017.

ALBANY – Governor Andrew Cuomo wants to offer free college tuition to low to middle income students in New York.

On Tuesday the governor unveiled the first signature proposal of his 2017 agenda: making college tuition-free for New York’s middle-class families at all SUNY and CUNY two- and four-year colleges.

The governor said New York’s tuition-free college degree program, the Excelsior Scholarship, is the first of its kind in the nation and will help alleviate the crushing burden of student debt while enabling thousands of bright young students to realize their dream of higher education.

“The Excelsior Scholarship, which says, very simply, free tuition to a state two-year school or a four-year school if you come from any family earning $125,000 or less,” the Governor explained during a special announcement on Tuesday.

The new initiative will be phased in over three years, beginning for New Yorkers making up to $100,000 annually in the fall of 2017, increasing to $110,000 in 2018, and reaching $125,000 in 2019.   More than 940,000 middle-class families and individuals would qualify.

According to the governor, the Excelsior Scholarship program will ensure that students statewide, regardless of their socio-economic status, have the opportunity to receive a quality education and gain the skills they need to succeed in our global economy.

“College is a mandatory step if you really want to be a success. And the way this society said, ‘We’re going to pay for high school, because you need high school,’ this society should say, ‘We’re going to pay for college, because you need college to be successful.'”

Cuomo also said that the initiative will work by leveraging New York State’s generous aid programs. Currently, the Tuition Assistance Program or TAP provides nearly $1 billion in grants to college students statewide and New York is one of only two states in the nation that offers this type of entitlement. Under the Excelsior program, eligible students would still receive TAP and any applicable federal grants. Additional state funds would cover the remaining tuition costs for incoming or existing eligible students.

Based on enrollment projections, the plan will cost approximately $163 million per year once fully phased in.

Governor Cuomo was joined by U.S. Senator and unsuccessful presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, who made free tuition a platform in his unsuccessful bid for president. Sanders said that if the United States is to succeed in a highly competitive global economy, we need the best educated workforce in the world.

The proposal would have to be approved by the state legislature before going into effect.

LOCAL OFFICIALS COMMENT ON EXCELSIOR PROPOSAL

Senator Catherine Young (R-Olean)

Chautauqua County’s representative in the Senate, Cathy Young (R-Olean), is the chair of the Senate’s finance committee. Following the announcement by Cuomo, Young released the following statement:

“The State Senate has been very supportive of higher education and tuition assistance programs because achieving a college education can open the door for countless opportunities and an enhanced quality of life. Like every budget proposal, this idea will receive intense review, analysis and discussion. Not only do we need to have the infrastructure for access to high-quality education, but we also need to protect our taxpayers and our economy from being suffocated by a heavier tax burden. We look forward to receiving more information when the State Budget is released by the Governor.”

Jamestown Community College officials say the Excelsior program would be great news for current and prospective JCC students.

JCC president Cory Duckworth said in a media release that if the proposal is approved, JCC would expect to see many more students engage in its educational programs.

Duckworth also noted his interest in examining the plan’s details which are said to encourage college enrollment and promote preparation for college and consistent progress toward degree completion once enrolled, saying that these are currently three of the biggest challenges JCC faculty and staff face every day in their work at the college.

“A reduction in student debt will lift a huge burden from the backs of our graduates who are struggling to get started in life,” said Dr. Duckworth. “In addition, the extra earning power they gain from their degrees will propel them forward economically in very substantial ways.”

Tuition at JCC is currently $4,630 while tuition is $6,470 for undergraduate programs at SUNY and CUNY.

Meanwhile, Jamestown Mayor Sam Teresi also supports the proposal.

“In order for New York to remain a leader in today’s global economy, we must support our middle-class families and ensure the young men and women of this state have the tools needed to succeed in the 21^st century economy. By providing a tuition-free college education to eligible New Yorkers, Governor Cuomo’s proposal will transform our business landscape by giving hundreds of thousands of bright and promising students the opportunity to make their dreams a reality. I commend the Governor for this groundbreaking proposal and always fighting to rebuild our middle-class,” Teresi said.

WRFA also reached out to Assemblyman Andy Goodell on Tuesday night, but he was unavailable for immediate comment.