$163 Billion Budget and Free College for New York State Students?
New York State Just Passed a $163 Billion Budget and a Free College Tuition Plan. The $163 billion state budget passed on Sunday that includes a free public college tuition program and ends imprisoning people younger than 18 with adults.
Key components raising the age of criminal responsibility and free tuition for students from families earning less than $120,000 a year were pushed by Cuomo and led to the longest budget delay since the Democrat took office in 2011.
State residents with household incomes under $100,000 will be able to enroll in state public colleges tuition-free. The income limit rises to $125,000 in three years.
The budget revives a tax cut program for New York City affordable housing developers and funds $2.5 billion of clean water infrastructure projects. The spending plan won overwhelming support in the Assembly and Senate.
The $163 billion package also includes federal disaster aid for people impacted by 2012’s Superstorm Sandy hurricane and funds for health care reform.To help offset the state’s $3.5 billion deficit and fund income tax cuts for people making under $300,000, the budget extends for two years an 8.82 percent tax rate on individuals making more than $1 million a year.