Governor Cuomo's Bright Ideas

There has been a flurry of postings on Patch in response to an article regarding Governor Cuomo's plan to provide a $5,000 college education to the incarcerated. Most of the comments left by readers were in the negative as far as using taxpayer dollars to fund this project. The large majority of people felt it unfair to provide a $5,000 education to inmates, while struggling to provide a college education for their own children and/or having their children graduate with college loan debt which they are unable to pay due to the poor economy and job market.

I decided to let Governor Cuomo see the comments of his downstate constituents so that he may consider his plan more closely before instrumenting it, by printing out the entire thread and mailing it to his office in Albany. My solution to the problem was this: if you take no issue with Gov. Cuomo using your tax dollars to provide a college education for the incarcerated, it should be on a voluntary basis. By that, I mean, on your state income tax return you can check the box that indicates that you want a certain amount of your tax return or add a certain amount to the tax you owe, to be designated to the program so inmates’ education can be funded. I think this would be a fair and just way for those who think it's a good idea to contribute their hard-earned dollars, without compromising those who can ill afford any more tax burden (which is the vast majority of us).

There were others who came up with the idea of inmates taking out school loans, and repaying them when they get out. The problem with that is there is no guarantee that they would pay it back and once again that burden would fall upon the State. This would assume that once they get their college education that they become model citizens, become gainfully employed, remain employed and begin to reimburse the State for the school loan. A lofty idea for those who committed crimes against society to begin with, and have little or no value for life, liberty or the pursuit of happiness.

I think Governor Cuomo ought to think twice about his proposal and I think the New York voters ought to think twice about re-election come November.