Fiscal Note
No City expenditure is required in conjunction with this Resolution.
Title
SUBSTITUTE - Urging the Department of Workforce Development Child Care Section to take Dane County out of the multi-county urban region and to treat it as a separate entity with its own rate structure that actually reflects the reality of childcare expenses in this area.
Body
WHEREAS, the week of April 3, 2006, is the "Week of the Young Child"; and
WHEREAS, recent changes to the Wisconsin Shares program implemented by the Department of Workforce Development have been implemented because the program is not adequately funded; and
WHEREAS, Dane County Child Care providers and the low-income families that use those daycare providers are impacted by these changes; and
WHEREAS, these changes have resulted in increased co-pays for poor families. For instance, in 2005, the maximum State contribution for infant care was $250 per week and now it is $232, resulting in an additional $18 per week per infant child that either the center must forfeit or the family must come up with; and
WHEREAS, these changes have eliminated the $50 reimbursement for annual registration fees; and
WHEREAS, the state no longer covers the 10-day period of transition if a child abruptly stops attending daycare, creating a loss of income to the daycare center of up to $664 when this happens; and
WHEREAS, recipients of assistance must work 35 hours or more to qualify for the higher weekly reimbursement rate even though many employers count 32 hours as full time; and
WHEREAS, some of Madison's exemplary childcare centers will be losing $107,000 - $210,000 of income this year based on the above changes to the Wisconsin Shares program; and
WHEREAS, these changes will limit the choices of daycare services available to low-income families; and
WHEREAS, these changes will limit access to higher quality childcare services; and
WHEREAS, low-income families will have a direct financial impact in their monthly budget as a result of these policy changes;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Madison urges the Department of Workforce Development Child Care Section to take Dane County out of the multi-county urban region and to treat it as a separate entity with its own rate structure that actually reflects the reality of childcare expenses in this area; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Madison urges the Department of Workforce Development Child Care Section to increase the 10% add-on for accredited care to 15% or 20% to reward the high quality providers for helping kids from low-income families succeed and have the support they need; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in the mean time, these changes be immediately reversed to stop further harm to the providers and families involved; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Madison urges Governor Doyle to instruct Department of Workforce Development Secretary Roberta Gassman to proceed with this reversal and to provide the Department of Workforce Development with emergency funds to enable this; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the City of Madison urges the Wisconsin State Legislature to fully fund Wisconsin Shares for 2006 and beyond.