NYS is over $4 billion in the hole.
There is no such thing as “free”.
And what this is really about is warm bodies. NYS is rumored to be losing 1 to 2 House seats after this next census. We lost 2 after the last one. NYS needs to replace makers bugging out, so it’s bribing takers.
My late great-uncle was a Catholic priest in the Buffalo area.
I used to kid him that since he had taken a vow of poverty he was the only guy I knew who could afford to live in New York State.