New York is the latest state to offer free college tuition for its residents — but there’s a catch. Students must remain in the state after graduation or pay the tuition back as a loan.
Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, who announced the benefit on Monday, said the rule was necessary to prevent students from taking advantage of the freebie and leaving the state.
The announcement comes amid reports that tens of thousands of New Yorkers are fleeing the state at “an alarming rate” due to lack of jobs and high rent.
The free college initiative covers tuition for in-state students attending college or universities, whose families earn $125,000 or less.
The benefit extends to illegal aliens living in NYC, a sanctuary city that harbors undocumented aliens and protects them from arrest or deportation.
Students must remain in New York for as many years as they attended college. If they move out of state for a new job or for personal reasons, they must repay the tuition as a loan.
Republican lawmakers in the state pushed for the loan requirement, according to Breitbart.com.
Democratic governors are offering all types of incentives and handouts to win back the majority seats in the 2018 midterm elections.
