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Don't cut Working Connections
The current state budget proposal slashes funding for Working Connections Child Care. If this cut goes forward thousands of families will be dropped off the program and their child care costs will soar out of reach. As many as 1 in 2 new applicants will be denied for lack of funds. Now is not the time to cut a program that is keeping families working during these rough economic times. Send your message now.
Dear [ Decision Maker ] , Please protect all current funding for the Working Connections Child Care program. For low- and moderate-income families, wages just aren't enough to cover child care costs. For many households, the cost of child care is as much or more than the cost of housing. Working Connections Child Care makes it possible for extremely low-income families to climb out of poverty and find jobs. It helps moderate-income families maintain stable employment. Our state's economic recovery is extremely fragile. Cutting Working Connections will plunge families into poverty. Now is not the time to cut a program that is keeping struggling families afloat during these tough economic times. Please fully fund Working Connections Child Care.
Sincerely, |
Campaign Launched: |
| Background Information |
More about the proposed state budget and Working Connections Child Care:
On December 8th the Governor released her proposed budget. As required by the Washington State Constitution, she presented a balanced budget with existing revenue. The cuts in her budget are brutal and sweeping. Funding for Working Connections Child Care is proposed to be cut by about 1/3, by reducing eligibility to the lowest income families. The irony behind this is that the impact of the cut will be that many more families will be forced deeper into poverty, when they can't work because they don't have child care assistance.
The Governor has said she will release a new budget, that includes some new revenue, and restores some of these cuts, before the next legislative session starts on January 11th. However, she has NOT included Working Connections Child Care on the list of programs she will restore the funding to. Action is critical now to urge the Governor and lawmakers to protect Working Connections Child Care.
A few examples of other cuts proposed to programs that families and kids count on:
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Elimination of 1,500 kids from the the Early Childhood Education Assistance Program
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Cutting back the eligibility level for Apple Health for Kids by a third, forcing 20,000 kids off of the health coverage they use for regular doctor's visits, health screenings and preventative care.
- Elimination of the state's commitment to ending racial inequalitiies in the child welfare system - the Racial Disproportionality Advisory Committee.
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$500,000 cut from maternity support services for at-risk pregnant women
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Elimination of medical interpreter services funding
Why do we have such a gap between revenue and funding need?
In our state, revenue is tied to the rise and fall of the economy. In a recession, just as the needs of families, workers, and kids rise, our revenues fall. This recession is the worst since the great depression. The fall in revenue is most severe our state has ever experienced. Meanwhile, families are struggling to survive. Programs like Working Connections and Apple Health for Kids are a saving grace.
You can learn a lot more about how the recession is impacting our state budget at the Washington Budget and Policy Center.
Additional information:
Read the Children's Alliance Legislative Agenda
Read the DSHS information page about eligibility for Working Connections Child Care
https://fortress.wa.gov/dshs/f2ws03esaapps/onlinecso/wccc.asp
