Printed letter to state representatives

I am writing to ask that you reject the Governor’s January Child Care Proposal. Governor Brown’s 2012-13 January Budget proposal attempts to close the $9.2 billion budget gap with dramatic cuts to preschool and child care, balancing the budget on the backs of California’s most vulnerable children and families. The budget proposal calls for $450 million in cuts to child care and development programs for children (this is equivalent to 30 percent of the programs budget). This will affect approximately 62,000 children in early care and education programs, working families and small business child care providers.

This proposed cut comes as early care and education programs have already suffered close to $1 billion in reductions in the last three years, cutting more than 80,000 children from child development programs. In addition, across-the-board reduction to all child care programs of $23 million in General Fund and Proposition 98 savings was triggered effective January 1, 2012. These cuts endanger the goal of child care and early development program to provide the child care necessary so that parents can work, and providing an educational environment that helps prepare young children for success in school.

This realignment will disproportionately affect our local economy as well. Recent studies have found that child care and early childhood education efforts have returns on investment to the public ranging from $2.69 to $7.16 per dollar invested. Studies have also found that investments in child care and early childhood education have consistently found substantial savings derived from reduced need for remedial and special education, reduced incarceration, and lower rates of teen pregnancy, among many other factors. In light of the current economic crisis, I respectfully ask that you reject the Governor’s Child Care Proposal and help California’s working families, California’s future leaders and small businesses across the State.