Resources Cited in the video:
- Wisconsin Shares for Parents and Caregivers
- Inside the push for better child and senior care in Wisconsin (Up North News)
- Wisconsin’s child care subsidy program is changing. Here’s what to know (Post Crescent)
- 100,000 families to see lower child care costs under new Biden policy (Up North News)
- Baldwin Announces Funding For WI Child Care (715 Newsroom)
- Research: Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy Audience Understanding Survey on Child Care (Family Friendly Economy)
It has been a couple political lifetimes since THE debate, but I wanted to share some actual good news about one of the topics that got very little attention that night: child care.
Childcare has been expensive. Having two kids in daycare can cost more than rent in all 50 states. Childcare is supposed to be 7% of your income; however, most families with young children are spending 24% right now.
As I said, there is some good news surrounding the issue of affordable childcare. New policies may bring some relief to families. As of July 1st this year, the income eligibility limit for Wisconsin Shares –the state’s child care subsidy program– is increasing and some families will see smaller copays.
The Biden Administration also announced a rule that will cap child care copayments at 7% of a families income for those who get assistance from the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF). This would allow a family of three in Wisconsin earning $68,000 annually to save as much as $635 per month under this new rule.
Additionally, Tammy Baldwin helped get Wisconsin $8 million dollars more than we got last year for the Child Care Development Block Grant. This grant not only helps parents afford care, but it also helps keep the Childcare business open and staffed.
Public opinion is starting to shift on this issue. A recent public opinion survey in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Montana found that about 77% of respondents think the government should be making childcare more affordable.
With that said, considering all of the subsidies the government provides to different industries in order to make products more affordable for consumers or keep industries afloat, should child care be one of them?
Resources:
- Wisconsin Shares for Parents and Caregivers
- Inside the push for better child and senior care in Wisconsin (Up North News)
- Wisconsin’s child care subsidy program is changing. Here’s what to know (Post Crescent)
- 100,000 families to see lower child care costs under new Biden policy (Up North News)
- Baldwin Announces Funding For WI Child Care (715 Newsroom)
- Research: Campaign for a Family Friendly Economy Audience Understanding Survey on Child Care (Family Friendly Economy)
