To Help End Poverty, Fund the "Wisconsin Shares" Childcare Program

Wisconsin and its families are facing a crisis. A critical vote is scheduled for Tuesday, May 22 when Joint Finance takes up funding for Wisconsin Shares, the only good thing that came out of so-called 'welfare reform.'

If this program is not properly funded, there will be waiting lists for low-wage working parents who rely on the childcare assistance to maintain employment, there will be a freeze on rates providers receive (Why the heck would they then accept kids receiving Shares subsidies if they can't even earn market rate payments?), decreases in eligibility, and increases in co-pays.

For all the progressives out there this program means a lot to anyone committed to: improving the condition of working parents, addressing poverty  and fixing our state's  overall economic well-being. Imagine the costs to local communities if parents can't get Shares anymore and lose their jobs; or if child care providers with high numbers of Shares families no longer get these payments.

While Governor Doyle proposed that the first recommendation of cutting the program $14 million be changed to 'only' $7 million in the first fiscal year, the entire program needs funding increases, not simply a restoration of last year's funding.

This is how we can end poverty. Let people get to work and help them in the difficult period where they have high child care costs relative to their low market wages. Cutting child care funding and ending the parents' involvement in the labor market is not how to build career ladders.

Comments

[Eyes]

I'm all for helping people when they are in need!