“Under the plan, families making up to $100,000 a year would pay nothing for the child care services, which would be run through Early Start programs, while families making more than $100,000 a year would pay no more than 7% of their annual income, with no income limit.” Source: CT Mirror.
I am 100% in favor of this bill. It passed across party lines, and Lamont will sign it. I have long been an advocate of childcare being less costly and something the state should prioritize.
However, we often pass these bills then never look back and try to measure success.
And in a state that is the easiest in the country to get free healthcare and benefits, success in this area means seeing people get back to work, or be able to work longer hours, and off of Husky and other forms of state aid.
Covering the cost of childcare should result in less obstacles to parents going back to work. It should result in more people in the workforce. It should result in more people coming off state aid.
Will it? We have done a truly awful job in Connecticut of holding those who are getting state aid accountable.
Ask any small business owner. Every single one will tell you that they have employees asking, and in many times its granted, to have shifts be paid in cash as they are close to the income limits of getting Husky. There are stories of women and children getting on Husky even as the father makes significant income. There are small business owners who hide income to remain under the income limits to get free healthcare, food stamps and more.
Connecticut’s current path of massive enrollment on the Husky program and other Medicaid programs is not sustainable. I am an advocate of increased childcare subsidies as childcare costs are a huge obstacle to parents joining the workforce.
So I’m glad this passed. Now I hope we also have a system to increase accountability for those not working or hiding income to keep getting tens of thousands in free healthcare coverage. Investments in childcare should result in a net positive, with parents coming off of Husky saving money and then seeing increased payroll taxes.
I applaud this passage, but it does very little if we don’t have a level accountability as well.