State senators to propose nearly $200 million in childcare subsidies
SUFFERN – In a bid to alleviate the high cost of being a parent in New York, state senators met Wednesday with childcare advocates, union officials and other interested parties to propose a combined total of $182 million in restorations and expansions of childcare programs for the next state budget.
The new proposal put forward by State Sens. David Carlucci (D-38), Diane Savino (D-23) and Jeffrey Klein (D-34), allocates $100 million in funds for the restoration of the state’s Facilitated Enrollment Program, which relaxes eligibility requirements and manages costs for parents.
Klein portrayed the issue as a matter of economic importance and a way to strengthen child development while boosting participation in the workforce for parents who might not be able to afford childcare while maintaining employment.
“I think we need to sort of wrap our arms around the fact that child care is economic development, because if we are going to have working people go into the workforce and earn a living and raise their family, we need to make child care more affordable,” Klein said
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