As I drove to work this week, I heard a news report regarding New York’s decision to offer tuition-free college to state residents. My ears piqued as I counted the number of college payments left until my youngest daughter—now a college junior—finishes school and is off the Bassman payroll.

Reader, I feel your pain. And although our state sponsors free tuition programs for low-income families and youth in its foster program, Texas has no similar program nor is the topic of free tuition set for this legislative session.

Beginning this fall, New York’s Excelsior Scholarship program will be available to residents seeking a spot in the state’s two- and four-year colleges and whose earnings top out at up to $100,000 annually, with other limiting factors.

According to the New York state website, www.ny.gov, the moving force for this program was that college has become what high school once was; that is, higher education should be available to everyone as a prerequisite for stepping foot in the working world.

The passage of New York’s fiscal year 2018 state budget made this $7.5 billion benefit possible for its residents.