HELP Preserve Child Care Subsidies for Working Poor Families

We need to get the word out about the cuts to Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) that are proposed in the Governor's budget. This includes making sure parents and providers know about the proposed cuts--and encouraging them to contact their state legislators and the Governor's Office with stories about how these cuts will affect families and children across the state.

WCCC helps working poor families pay for children, keep their jobs, and avoid welfare. WCCC also helps small child care businesses keep their doors open--particularly in low-income communities where many families have difficulty paying for child care.

Even though this program is funded with federal funds (and the state dollars required to earn the federal funds) the Governor's December budget proposes to cut WCCC by $88.5 million. Her "buy back list" proposes to reduce the cut, but even this proposal would deny services to eligible working families. Families applying for services and families who need reauthorization would be affected.

These proposals mean that a working family with two children and income as low as 130% of Federal Poverty might be denied services. This family's child care bill would go from a copay of $50 to an average of $1,177 or 59% of gross income (for a toddler and school-age child in center care).

We need to get the word out and register our concerns--right now, before it's too late.