A new program for low-income families paid for by the city helps parents find free child care for their young children. The program, called City Seats, has been put in place in several states and is paid for by raising taxes. Families are thankful for the program.
Derricka Richard is a mom who had a hard time getting cheap child care. She had a hard time getting childcare for her three youngest kids because past programs told her she “didn’t work enough.” When this program was launched, it helped her get help, which let her sign up her three kids for child care.
Richards said that the program “made it possible for me to go to school.” In her words, it “changed her life.” Following a vote to raise property taxes, New Orleans added 1,000 more spots for kids in the program last year.
In Texas, voters passed an amendment to the state constitution that lets qualified childcare providers get tax breaks. Cities and counties could use this to let childcare places not pay some or all of their property taxes.
“In the past, we saw more of these local or state-driven initiatives focusing on pre-K,” said Diane Girouard, a senior state policy analyst with Child Care Aware. “But over the last three years, we’ve seen voters approve ballot measures to invest in child care and early learning.”
Authorities are now aware of the effects of the pandemic and how many parents had to change their plans or miss work because they couldn’t find childcare. Many parents are still having a hard time finding child care in states that don’t have these services or in places where it’s hard for low-income parents to find care.
