MADISON, Wis. – On Wednesday this week, State Senator Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska) says he met with the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Technical Colleges for a hearing on Governor Evers’ special session bill that includes funding for Child Care Counts and workforce development. The Child Care Counts program has provided payments to child care providers since COVID and has kept many of them in business.
The governor had called a special legislative session last month to take up the topic, but the Legislature gaveled in and out. At issue is about a $4 billion surplus left over after the Legislator and the Governor hammered out a two year budget. Governor Evers was not satisfied with the lack of funding in that budget to address what many are calling a crisis that is looming once that pandemic funding dries up for the Child Care Counts program by the end of the year. Governor Evers has called for $340 million of that $4 billion to continue the Child Care Counts program.
Republicans have opposed Evers’ plan and written their own bills that loosen child care industry regulations, like allowing 16-year-olds to serve as child care providers. Democrats say rural Wisconsin in particular is vulnerable to “childcare deserts” that do not have enough licensed care centers.
Pfaff said childcare is a critical service because it not only impacts families, but it also impacts rural economies that are already short of employees.
“To grow Wisconsin’s economy and expand our state’s workforce, we must invest in child care,” said Pfaff. “Wisconsin’s child care providers and working families made it clear today that their voices will be heard and that we need funding for Child Care Counts, or we will lose child care providers. Without reliable and affordable child care, parents cannot work. It is time for the legislature to fund Child Care Counts and stabilize Wisconsin’s child care industry.”
The community of La Farge was identified as a childcare desert but recently recently a $75,000 grant from the Dream Up program to help establish a licensed daycare in that community. You can read our story about La Farge and their daycare planning here.
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