Westchester County Lawmakers Protest Cuts to Child Care

Dark skies and a sprinkle of rain further dampened the already-dismal mood at a press conference hosted by Westchester County lawmakers Friday afternoon at the Mt. Kisco Day Care Center to protest $1.5 million in child care cuts included in County Executive Rob Astorino's proposed 2010 budget.

Peter Harckham (D-Katonah), Bill Burton (D-Ossining) and Democratic Majority Whip Judy Myers (D-Larchmont) were joined by advocates from area child care centers and families benefiting from current federal and county programs slated for cuts.

Single parent Larissa Laguna spoke of her dependence on her job at the Country Children's Center in Katonah to support herself and her six-year-old son, and her reliance on county child care subsidies to cover the cost of his after school care provided by CCC at Bedford Village Elementary School.

But with the proposed increases in parent contributions to child care, Laguna doesn't think she can afford to keep him there. "I'll be forced to cut back on my hours and I can't do that and maintain basic necessities," said the 33-year-old Bedford Hills resident.

In 2009, the co-pay was 10 percent, then rose to 15 percent on January 1, 2010. The new increase signifies child care costs nearly doubling for families in a span of six months. For example, a family of three with an annual income of $35,000 would pay an additional $840 per year, on average.

That's an unaffordable option for many families, said Kathy Halas, Executive Director of the Child Care Council of Westchester.

"The ability to afford child care is directly related to the vitality of the economy," she said. "We should be increasing, not decreasing child care spending."

Federal monies available for child care through Title XX will be limited to the 365 families currently served by the program; no new awards will be made after April 1. Also slated for elimination is the four-year-old Child Care Scholarship Program, which provides support for families who earn too much to qualify for low-income or Title XX subsidies, but don't make enough to cover the high costs of child care in Westchester County. 

"This affects families all over Westchester County," said Harckham. "We agree cuts should be made, but this is a short-sighted solution. If we cut day care, working families will stop working, stop paying taxes, and cease to be productive."

The cuts represent a small portion of a $1.8 billion budget, but the impact is on 563 children, added Myers. There are other alternatives, she said.

Burton presented his ideas for other areas to cut, including exploring a reduction in health insurance overhead costs, and a measure to consolidate County agencies, presented last December, which all three legislators supported.

County officials maintain that their child care spending—$31.5 million this year—is  well above state and federal mandates.

"Out of the $1.5 million in day care savings identified, $1 million will have no impact on current levels of service: $500,000 will come from raising the parent contribution for some families, to a level that is still below what was paid in 2005; and $500,000 will come from freezing the size of the so-called Title XX program at its current level, said Commissioner of Social Services Kevin Mahon, in an email after the conference.

"No one is being cut, it's just that no new people will be added. The remaining $500,000 comes from the scholarship program, which is the only cut in current levels of child care service provided by the county," he added.

"The county is being forced to make tough decisions, but if the money is not found here, it would have to come out of another program where the need would be even greater," said Mahon.

According to Debbie Imperia, Executive Director of the Harrison Children's Center, the need in Westchester County is great. "I will be forced to close one of my five locations. I will scale back our special needs program and layoff employees. Children who leave our centers are ready for kindergarten, and without support, they will be left behind.

Many at the conference spoke of the importance of investing in children now for a return on a greater future for our community and economy.

"Research shows that services to children are among the best investments any government can make, and they return enormous financial and social benefits," said Cora Greenberg, Executive Director of the Westchester Children's Association.

Clark Robson, president of the board of the Mt. Kisco Child Care Center, added that, for many families, they are struggling, working multiple jobs to provide opportunities for their children.

"They are on the first rung of the ladder of the American dream," he said. "Let's not pull them, and their children, off the ladder."

The County Board's Committee on Social Services has asked Commissioner Mahon to come before the committee to further explain the cuts and offer alternatives at a meeting next Wednesday April 14 at 3:00 pm at the County Board offices.