Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today blasted downstate liberal members of the Assembly’s Higher Education Committee for voting down legislation that would have increased the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) award available to prospective college students in New York State. Instead of expanding college affordability for citizens, the Assembly Majority has instead sided with illegal immigrants and voted to allow them taxpayer-funded college tuition they call “The Dream Act” and Hawley refers to as “The Nightmare Act”.

“What kind of message are downstate politicians sending the struggling families out there working two jobs or overtime to provide their children with a college education,” Hawley said. “Middle-class families deserve a break, and with skyrocketing college costs, we should be doing everything possible to make a college education a reality for our citizens. Add this bill to the long list of higher education initiatives blocked by New York City liberals to pump more resources, taxpayer money and freebies into their downstate voting bloc.”