26-02-2025
Governor Kathy Hochul addresses childcare crisis with new proposals in NYS budget
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — As part of the upcoming state budget, Governor Kathy Hochul proposed several ways to better support families when it comes to childcare.
It's a topic local industry leaders said now finally has the attention of politicians and folks in the business sector, after years of asking for help – even before the pandemic compounded issues.
Hochul proposed more than $100 million in a construction fund for childcare facilities, along with fresh childcare tax credits, a path towards universal childcare, and more.
All of these areas, local industry leaders said, have been needed points of attention for years.
'We want to have a coalition of leaders in the community, advocates, unions, tax experts to come together and talk about how can we get the financial security into the system so we can have universal childcare. The governor always says, you know, nobody should ever have to give up a job they love because they can't find good care for their kids, and she's been a wonderful advocate for this,' said Roberta Reardon, commissioner of the New York State Department of Labor.
Kristin Perrone is the senior program officer of the Child Care Council, a free referral agency that serves Monroe, Livingston, and Wayne counties.
'In Monroe County, I want to say it's about $21,000 for childcare in one year,' she said. 'This year, [Hochul] is proposing a huge increase in the childcare tax credit. It's the largest increase ever in the history of NYS and it will be really transformational for parents. A child under four, it will go up at least $1,000 a child this year, and for children 4-16, that will go up to $500 a year. Really helpful.'
Another plan: Investing in the creation of new centers to the tune of approximately $110 million, which could also be used for repairs. It's a plan that's already garnering local interest.
'We've actually heard it from all three of our counties because there's deserts in all different places. It doesn't necessarily – like if you take a county like Wayne County for example, it's very spread out. There's a lot of different towns. So, one town might have an adequate amount of childcare, but 10 minutes down the road they don't have any at all,' said Perrone.
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Another part of the governor's plan is to create a childcare substitute pool statewide, similar to how school districts call in backup when a teacher is not able to be there
The New York State budget is due April 1.
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