Banner ad


Home

State Budget Update: Governor’s Child Care Cuts

May 24, 2010
 		 Printer-friendly version
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's May Revise budget includes two proposals that could decimate state child care in California. In addition to a plan to discard almost all of the State Department of Education's Child Care and Development Services, the budget proposes to eliminate CalWORKs, which includes child care resources for parents returning to work or school. The combined cuts would save the state an estimated $2.8 billion, but result in the loss of child care for thousands of families, as well as the loss of vital jobs and matching federal funds.    

A recent report to legislators noted that more than 435,000 children are currently enrolled in state-supported child care programs. The governor's proposal would reduce 142,000 of those child care slots by eliminating CalWORKs child care and massively reducing general child care support. Only the state preschool program would remain intact under the proposal.   

Cutting state child care would also result in the loss of crucial jobs. Under the current proposal, an estimated 130,000 child care providers state-wide would be affected, with 62,000 childcare centers at risk of closure. According to the California Child Care Resource and Referral Network, child care providers in California are already struggling to survive in this economy. 

Ending child care assistance could also result in California losing federal funding. California currently receives an estimated $3.7 billion in matching funds for CalWORKs, and another $660 million in federal dollars for child care funding. With the proposal to decimate both programs, the state risks losing billions of dollars in federal matching funds.

State legislators attacked the proposal during a budget committee hearing last week.  Assemblymember Sandré Swanson (D-Oakland) noted that, with the accompanying economic losses, "This becomes a loser in a lot of ways." Budget committee members subsequently rejected the proposed cuts.

Does your organization provide state-funded child care?  First 5 LA would like to hear from you about the potential impact child care funding cuts would have on your services, your centers, and your families. Please post your stories in our "comments" section, or email Ruel Nolledo at, RNolledo@First5LA.org.

Resources:

‹‹Back to this week's Monday Morning Report  

Comments

Fri, 08/13/2010 - 01:00 — Anonymous

SINGLE MOTHER

IM A SINGLE MOTHER OF 3GIRLS I WORK FULL TIME. I WORK HARD SO MY KIDS DONT HAVE TO BE ON WELFARE. IF YOU CUT MY CHILD CARE. I WOULD HAVE TO STOP WORKING BEACUSE I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO AFFORD CHILD CARE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS PROGRAM HELP THE SINGLE MOTHERS OUT THERE WITH THE CHILDREN. PLEASE DONT TAKE THIS FOUND AWAY.
Fri, 08/06/2010 - 17:34 — Anonymous

PLEASE HELP !!! I don't want to quit school full time mom now

I have a 3year old and a 5mo old baby i use to be able to work part-time and go to school so i can reach my goal of becoming an R.N to better our life's but that chance that i had was recently taken away from me now i have to work full-time and possibly get another job and quit definitely quit school, so now i begging to please don't discontinue the help to send my child to preschool and my 5mo old to daycare.. i would love to give my kids a better life and show them what a great mother i am i want to be a good example............
Wed, 08/04/2010 - 05:41 — Anonymous

Who cares about the kids.

Kids are the ones that will be paying cutting fundigs for day care services. Parents will be having to quit jobs to stay with their kids and with no food or house to live because without job they won't have no money neither. Welfare will be their only option and still will affect the state budget. It will be stabbing the kids and they don't think they are the future voters of tomorrow!
Wed, 07/21/2010 - 12:41 — Anonymous

It make my stomach sick

i work at a center and my kids are on the program and at this moment i will be withot a job and no center for my kids! Politicians pay need to be cut and all the money that is spent on dinners for politicians need to be cut out! if they were to cut the program the world is going to be f**** up
Tue, 07/20/2010 - 22:47 — Anonymous

only by gods grace !!! yes we need help

by not having this enrich program would only have moms turn back to be on the welfare . I am a daycare provider an I have care for children for 11 years . in my 11years I have seen just how blessed this program has been for these needed families .there would be a lost of more homes and jobs and torn lifes .please do not let this happen. this state needs for the state to bless us with favor and not drop this bill please .may god bless us with his grace an mercy ..
Mon, 07/19/2010 - 10:29 — Anonymous

RIDICULOUS!

I Strongly Believe That Rather Than Cutting Child Care They Should Cut So Many Other Things. People Here Need A Job In Order To Provide For There Family And Now How Will That Be Possible If We Have No Program To Help Us With Child Care! They Want Us To Be On Welfare Alright Let's Do It And Then We Go And They Tell Us Okay You've Been On Welfare For 3 Months Already You Need To Go Find A Job Now Or Welfare Will Be Cut! You Go Get A Job And They Cut Your Welfare Because You No Longer Qualify If You Work More Than 100 Hours A Month What Is That Seriously And On Top If That NO DAYCARE!!! Like Are You Serious. This GUY SHOULD GET OUT ALREADY SERIOUSLY HE'S DOING NOTHING GOOD TO HELP THE COMMUNITY HERE'S A BIG HAND TO THOSE WHO CHOSE HIM!!
Sun, 07/11/2010 - 19:53 — Anonymous

outrageously wrong

Unbelievable, but unfortunately true. You keep hearing to go to school get educated and get a career. I did that. Now I am out of a job that I love because to be an educator you need to love what you do. It doesn't pay well and as you can see it is always the first to suffer. I feel for those families that I served. I was laid off and each day I can't stop thinking of my "kids" and where they are or who is watching them. How are the parents dealing with an extra bill to pay "babysitting." The only reason politicians make this outrageous decisions is because it doesn't affect them directly and they don't have to live through it. Lucky them.
Thu, 07/08/2010 - 08:31 — Anonymous

IT WILL ONLY MAKES THINGS WORSE!

THINK OF HOW MANY JOBS WILL BE LOST COUNTY JOBS THAT DO THE PAPERWORK, FAMILY DAY CARES, DAY CARE FACILITIES, NOT TO MENTION THE SINGLE PARENTS TRYING TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES BUT HAVE TO QUIT THEIR JOBS NOW BECAUSE THIER STATE WANTS THEM ON FOOD STAMPS AND WELFARE!!!!! THIS IS ONLY GOING TO MAKE THINGS WORSE AND I THINK CRIME RATE WILL GO UP DESPARATE PEOPLE CAUSE DESPARATE ACTIONS TO PROVIDE FOR THIER FAMILY!!!
Thu, 07/01/2010 - 10:21 — Anonymous

So Wrong in so Many ways

Of course, as it has always been in the past, any time politicians screw up they use the poor, uneducated, and non-white populations as the scapegoats. We need more money? Take it from the children! Until we force our representatives to actually represent us- this will keep happening. Shame on you governator; shame on you and all your cronies too. Anna Spears
Wed, 06/30/2010 - 10:28 — Anonymous

YES AND NO

For those mothers who are single parents yes they need these programs but for women who always make the wrong choice and continue to have babies they cannot afford to raise in this econony , i believe they do need to cut them off perhaps not the program just the abusers
Tue, 06/29/2010 - 15:05 — Anonymous

Child care cuts

I currently have my child enrolled in a state-funded program and was informed yesterday that there is no funding for the month of July 2010. I've been really stressed out. I applied for this program because I actually need help.I will soon give up my car to pay for child care costs and will have to cut my hours drastically at work to travel by bus daily. This is going to take a big impact on my family. As it is I'm a single mother of 3 working to provide for my children and to encourage them that daycare is very important during the summer because their daily activities are educational. Pretty soon there won't be public schools around. Not only will this affect my family, but it's going to affect the daycare as well. A majority of the children participate in calworks programs so how many staff members will they let go????
Sat, 06/26/2010 - 11:04 — Anonymous

child care

We ask of you please don't take child care service program away from these parents and day care provider! We need are jobs with out this program we will lose our jobs and become homeless. Is this what the governor want, more people to lose there jobs. More unemployment. Ask a single parent providing for my son, losing my job would be terrible. This is my why of living being a child care provider for 5 children please please help us keep this program going!!!!!!!
Tue, 06/22/2010 - 08:49 — Anonymous

I can't believe this man

I can't believe this man thinks that cutting the childcare programs will help our state! It's going to put parents out of work and back on welfare.We need to send our voices to our state and tell that idiot how this plan to save money isn't going to work!
Tue, 06/22/2010 - 07:03 — Anonymous

Childs care budget cuts

Cutting the early schooling and care for the youngest citizen of our struggling state seems very silly. The future educated human resource is million times better than building new prison house and new factories.
Tue, 06/15/2010 - 14:35 — Anonymous

Whose fault is it anyway?

It is interesting how people who lambasted their predecessors for being incompetent, inefficient and apathetic - and at the same time committing to governing better, and yet, have themselves fail miserably and significantly - and having the constituency (who had nothing to do with the State's dilemma and whose only fault was that they voted for these people) suffer for the same. What is eggregious is that even at this time, actions are being taken to make the suffering worst, but, with yet every indication that the failings would continue. I feel that this budgetary situation is an issue of simple mismanagement brought about by the lack of political will. There are decisions that were made and decisions that were not made simply because it goes against the grain of their politics. It is unfortunate that these people cannot be prosecuted for I feel that what they are doing is a crime. Let this serve as a lesson for the intelligent use of the right to vote.
Mon, 06/14/2010 - 19:53 — Anonymous

I thought the best investment was the education!!!

what is it going to happen to the children who dont have day care anymore??? are they going to be at home by themselves while their parents are working? what kind of future we are going to have when our little ones are not going to be taking care of? we are putting in risk our next generation!!!!
Fri, 06/11/2010 - 12:57 — Anonymous

i cannot believe it

I cannot believe this is all happening. To those who voted for this idiot: Are you happy now?!!
Thu, 06/10/2010 - 23:03 — Anonymous

budget cuts

With this program i was able to come off of welfare and earn a college degree in less than two years. I just know that if this program was not available me and my child would be living in poverty. This has a ripple effect and doesnt just change the now it will effect our childs life. A child brought up in poverty is more likely to continue that cycle. These programs are a resouce to break the cycle. There are two thing that need to be done first get in touch with god and ask him to touch the hearts and minds of those and charge. And two vote there is no use complaining if you dont use your voice to vote.
Mon, 06/07/2010 - 13:05 — Anonymous

I don't belive it's even being considered

I haven't looked at the exact number of people being affected but just by thinking about all the people in the day care that i take my kids that use subsized care, the people in the OPTIONS office and friends and family that will be affected, is overwhelming. I'm a single mom with two kids and use subsidized care and healthy families and it will impact my life tremendously. It will be working to pay for care and will have nothing left to live, I don't know what i would do. I was just in disbelief that that help would be cut. Give us better paying jobs or decrease the day care fees or something.
Fri, 06/04/2010 - 15:51 — Anonymous

this is unfair

I am a working single mother of 4 kids. If they take away child care assistance I will not be able to be employed. So the big question to the decision makers is: are you ready to give out money/housing to families that are going to be homeless/jobless? I dont ask for free things, I am just like many people a hard worker that pays taxes.
Fri, 06/04/2010 - 08:59 — Anonymous

I strongly believe that this

I strongly believe that this is a very selfish and underminded move. They give us something and then turn right around and take it back. It's like they're playing push and pull with oour lives no matter if you are the parent or the caregiver. This will truly affect my livelihood. I'll just haveto continue to pray for our country and its leaderhip or should i say leaders#$&*!
Fri, 06/04/2010 - 08:49 — Anonymous

Child care Cuts

This is really ridiculous because first there were complaints about women of color being lazy and didn't want to work.They came up with this plan demanding that the women on welfare either get a job or go to school and their child care would be taken care of. That was a very good jesture. What happened were the women becoming more responsible and accountable for their livelihood and he couldn't stand the thought of us standing up on our own two feet not being looked down upon anymore.well i know that God has everyone's back that this will affect. Its not HAPPENING!!!!!!!!!
Thu, 06/03/2010 - 08:56 — Anonymous

my son and I will be homeless

As a struggling single Mom I find this proposal very devastating. if I lose the child care assistance I will lose my job and my home . I can express in words how stressed out I am over this and how worried I am. Please help us keep our jobs and homes by standing against this Proposal.
Wed, 06/02/2010 - 22:42 — Anonymous

Why kick us when we are already down....

I'm just finishing college so that I can get a career to be able to help my husband with the bills and to help provide for our family. Without the help or care I wouldn't be able to finish college and or even get a job because even with my husbands income alone we can't afford care. And in order for myself to start working I need that help because I dont have anyone to help watch pur son. Im sure that there are alot of other familys out there that have this problem and are trying to get some where in life. But with the loss of child care there will be a lot of homeless and jobless people out there. As it is now food stamps are cut and people cant even get those when in need. For a family of 3 with and income of take home of about 1000.00 your looking at getting 34.00 a month for help for food. That will get you milk bread and peanut butter maybe eggs, cearl and maybe fruits and vegs.
Fri, 05/28/2010 - 08:19 — Anonymous

Childcare cuts

As a family Childcare owner, This would have a large impact on families not only in need of assistance but middle income families that are also struggling with childcare fees. As Child Development Professionals we know the impact of child care on children from infant to school age and has proven to be beneficial in all areas. These cuts would affect my area in which we offer a funded preschool program for middle income families.
Tue, 05/25/2010 - 08:13 — Anonymous

Childcare cuts

In this volatile economic time, to cut programs which are helping families work toward a level of stability would be cutting the lifeline of many families' futures. What then will the State offer the families facing job loss, homelessness, inability to care for their familes, and increased stress? More welfare redtape and a loaf of bread?
Mon, 05/24/2010 - 10:31 — Anonymous

Impact of potential child care cuts

At Los Angeles Mission College the cuts to child care would result in over a hundred fifty students having to drop their classes and/or lose their jobs. It would cause a devastating interruption in these parents' career advancement. These children may end up in less than desirable child care arrangements.
Mon, 05/24/2010 - 09:47 — Anonymous

Yes, I strongly believe that

Yes, I strongly believe that theses cuts would have major impact on, not only our community, but all child care centers that are funded through the State. So on behalf of the Childcare Centers funded through the State I ask our State Assemblymembers to reject anything that would be detrimental in the closing of Childcare centers, where children learn to socialize and develop language, and where parents come for resources in their community.

Post new comment