Governor Andrew Cuomo visited Rochester Thursday. He stopped by the Eastman Business Park to give a regional budget presentation and to announce a $3 million grant for a new Bioscience Manufacturing Center.
Cuomo was asked by reporters about his controversial plan to fund college classes for prison inmates. He said it would bring down the crime rate and, in turn, the cost of the state's prison system. The governor said he wants to reduce the $60,000 per year per inmate it costs to keep criminals in prison.
"You want to save money? Get the inmates educational skills," Cuomo said. "The recidivism rate goes down to 4 percent, believe it or not. Just on the numbers, it's a very prudent investment."
Much of the governor's speech Thursday focused on reducing taxes and spending in New York State and investing in businesses Upstate.