Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF-Sag Harbor) announced that Assembly 2016-17 one-house budget invests $1.7 billion in higher education, providing for a two-year tuition freeze for SUNY students in addition to a 20 percent increase for opportunity programs. The proposal includes more than $819 million in capital assistance and increase base operating aid at community colleges and grant awards under the tuition assistance program (TAP).

“The Assembly budget proposal rejects the proposed extension of SUNY tuition hikes. At a time when college students are increasingly burdened with student loan debt, we shouldn’t continue down the road of ever-growing tuition costs. Our efforts should be completely focused on reducing the cost of higher education so that all students have the opportunity to earn a college degree,” said Assemblyman Thiele.

The budget would earmark an additional $749 million for capital support at state colleges and university centers as well as provide the state’s 50 percent match for several community college projects across the state. The proposal also increases the base operating aid for community colleges by $100 per full-time equivalent and raises the maximum TAP award by $100 to $5,265 per student.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Assembly budget would include the New York State DREAM Act and invest $27 million to provide eligible immigrant students with access to TAP, scholarships and opportunity programs. It would also allow immigrant families who have a taxpayer identification number to open a New York 529 family tuition savings account.