KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Local childcare providers want Kalamazoo County to put a special millage to support their services on the ballot next May, but the idea was met with resistance from county board members.
Commissioners agree that the cost of providing childcare is out of hand, but there is a right way and a wrong way to do this, and advocates may be rushing things.
Vice chair pro tem Jeff Heppler says this may be one crisis too many to put on the backs of taxpayers, especially right now.
“I think there are a whole lotta things we need to look at before we race right out and tax our citizens, who are struggling now to stay in their homes.”
Vice chair John Taylor says their proposal to wait until after the measure passes to decide how to spend the money may not fly with voters.
“I think it’s a heck of a lot easier to do it the other way around, and this is how we’re going to spend $5 million, it seems like it’s kind of reversed.”
YWCA CEO Susan Rosas says childcare costs are unaffordable for local families.
“The federal benchmark for childcare affordability is that families should spend no more than 7% of their household income on childcare,” Rosas says. “Here in Kalamazoo families are spending a staggering 38%.”
The board also heard from single moms and others who support the idea, and a pair of opponents who felt otherwise.
One said taxing and spending “is not a solution to childcare,” while the other says they are “looking at the wrong end by doing a millage, that’s not going to solve the problem.”
The board took no action on the proposal and made no commitments but said they are willing to talk about the right way to present it to voters.
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