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New York City ID card plan passes in council vote

By WTOP Staff

JENNIFER PELTZ
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — New York will offer identification cards to residents regardless of their immigration statuses under a plan lawmakers passed Thursday and Mayor Bill de Blasio is expected to sign to create the nation’s biggest municipal ID program.

The card is intended to provide a form of government identification to help immigrants and others who may not be able to get it elsewhere, though advocates also aim to make it a point of New Yorker pride.

“The message is that the city belongs to everyone, regardless of who you are,” Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito said before the heavily Democratic council passed the measure 43-3.

De Blasio, a Democrat, said in a statement that his administration was ready to move ahead with a plan that “provides New Yorkers who are currently living in the shadows with dignity and peace of mind.”

The law would take effect by year’s end. Applicants would have to provide proof of their identity and city residency, and officials would have some flexibility in determining what documents suffice. The fee has yet to be decided but probably would be about $10 and could be waived for those unable to afford it.

Amid the fractious politics of immigration on the national scale, liberal groups and immigrant advocates have championed city identification cards as a way to provide official ID for such tasks as opening a bank account or signing a lease. Cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco and New Haven, Connecticut, already offer the documents.

With an estimated 500,000 immigrants living illegally in New York, government identification might make them feel more comfortable approaching police for help, backers say. The city card also could put ID within reach of poor and homeless people who don’t have the money or checklist of documents to get driver’s licenses or other IDs.

But some critics fear such cards might be used to get government-paid benefits for immigrants who don’t qualify. And some council members raised questions about whether the IDs could become tools of identity deception and how the data collected would be used.

“I believe there are legitimate security concerns that have not been adequately addressed,” said Councilman Vincent Ignizio, a Republican.

Councilman Alan Maisel, a Democrat, wondered whether the cards could end up becoming wallet-sized scarlet letters if government someday took a sharp anti-immigrant turn.

Police Commissioner William Bratton expressed some concern this spring about whether the cards would be secure against abuse, but he said this week the police department looks forward to the program’s implementation.

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Reach Jennifer Peltz on Twitter @jennpeltz.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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