Gov. Cuomo has tapped a trailblazing New York City lawmaker to head the agency tasked with helping implement his plan to offer free CUNY or SUNY tuition to students with family incomes up to $125,000, The Post has learned.
Guillermo Linares — a former assemblyman and city councilman — will head the state Higher Education Services Corp., which reviews and distributes $1 billion in tuition assistance and financial aid to 370,000 college students.
Linares, 65, was the first Dominican-born immigrant elected to public office in the United States when he won a City Council seat representing Washington Heights/Inwood in 1991.
Since then, Linares served as city immigrant affairs commissioner under Mayor Mike Bloomberg and was elected to the Assembly.
His political influence has waned in recent years. He lost a Democratic primary for re-election to the northern Manhattan Assembly seat in September — just months after getting trounced by fellow Dominican-born Democrat Adriano Espaillat in a bid to succeed Rep. Charles Rangel in Congress.
He’s not the only Linares working for the administration. Cuomo appointed Guillermo’s daughter, Mayra Linares-Garcia, as a member of the CUNY Board of Trustees in June 2016. She previously served as director of the governor’s Latino affairs unit.
The elder Linares’ appointment raised eyebrows when his name suddenly appeared on HESC’s Web site as the “acting president” without a public announcement by the governor’s office nor HESC.
Albany sources wondered what happened to Elsa Magee, who had the dual title of acting president and vice president since 2009. Magee had testified before the Legislature’s joint hearing on the higher-education portion of Cuomo’s executive budget plan on Jan. 24. There were rumblings that she had been demoted.
Cuomo’s office confirmed Linare’s appointment but disputed claims that Magee had been cast aside.
“Guillermo Linares has spent a lifetime in public service and academia and we’re thrilled to have him as part of the team to implement the governor’s Excelsior scholarship program and help make college affordable to all working and middle class New Yorkers,” said Cuomo spokesman Richard Azzopardi.
“Elsa Magee is an invaluable part of this team and remains executive vice president, a position she has held since 2009,” the spokesman added.
Linares did not respond to requests for comment.
Magee confirmed she was still employed by HESC and referred further questions to the governor’s office.