Even though the Senate and Assembly proposals do not include the $1.2 billion that child care providers needed, they still provide $500 million that is critical for New York’s families and providers. But for that funding to be a meaningful step on the path to universal child care, the budget must make a permanent investment in the child care workforce. Email Governor Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Speaker Heastie and your reps now, and tell them the final budget must include a permanent investment of at least $500 million in the child care workforce.
At this moment in time— as the details of the final budget are being decided —the most important takeaway is that both the Assembly and the Senate recognize that New York State needs far stronger investment in child care than what Governor Hochul proposed. Now, with the budget deadline extended, we need all of our state leaders to work together to ensure that every dollar for child care in the one house budgets will remain in the final budget.
Budgets are about priorities. This is not a question of whether New York has the money for universal child care — it’s about whether we have the political will to spend it on meeting the urgent needs of New York’s families and communities, instead of giving it away to businesses and corporations. The leaders of both the Assembly and the Senate have shown they do have that will with their own budget proposals. Will Governor Hochul decide to stand in the way, or will she put children and families first?