BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — “All this is a roadmap toward a better future for our families and for their children,” remarked Governor Kathy Hochul.
Governor Hochul appeared at the Department of Labor's on-site daycare center in Albany Wednesday to announce $100 million in new initiatives to address a critical childcare shortage.
$50 million will go toward grants for the construction of new childcare centers or to expand existing ones.
“Let’s find a pathway for new businesses as they are setting up shop, that they can actually start incorporating a childcare facility on their premises,” announced Hochul.
"Any time we invest in childcare, that's a good investment,” declared Sheri Scavone, CEO, WNY Women’s Foundation.
I reached Scavone by phone. The WNY Women's Foundation is a major advocate for improving childcare issues.
“What this does is begin to, I think, change the narrative about businesses being part of the solution employers recognizing that childcare is an essential workforce support,” Scavone replied.
The state will also offer another $50 million in tax credits to businesses if they create childcare for employees directly or through a third-party provider.
“I think this is going to be helpful for businesses in a tight labor market. This could be the difference between someone working for one employer or another based on whether or not they have childcare available,” Hochul explained.
"So, I do understand the need for additional daycares, but if we're going to do that, we should probably think about the smaller daycares who have been here providing the care all of this time,” commented Danielle Kinsman, daycare owner.
Kinsman is the owner and operator of Jumped Up Jellybeans Daycare Center on Hertel Avenue in north Buffalo. She says while there are major challenges for families in trying to secure childcare, she tells me these state initiatives could hurt the bottom line for private childcare owners.
“I understand the logic behind trying to provide more daycare centers for parents, but putting them on-site at work sites is detrimental to a private business because parents are going to go and see they're free or cheaper and more convenient for them,” Kinsman noted. “That's going to really hurt the bottom line of the private childcare owners.”
Kinsman tells me she can't take advantage of the state's grant to expand because, at her daycare building, which she owns, she has no room for expansion.
“Because of the structure of the building, I can't do much with that,” responded Kinsman.
Kinsman said she would like to see “permanent” fixes to childcare and refers to this latest initiative as a “temporary solution”.
Governor Hochul has already committed a $7 billion investment in childcare she calls historic. Two years ago, the state placed a cap on childcare costs.
But Kinsman said another major problem for daycare centers is finding employees. She tells me securing workers is “awful” as she continues to have a waiting list for families.
“That is the worst part. I’ve had to close classrooms. I’ve had to close the building on certain days, so, it really is a problem. I think if we could work on providing more funding to the childcare centers, permanent funding so that you can hire people. Childcare should pay more than minimum wage. they work hard and it's a very demanding job. It’s not easy at all,” described Kinsman.
Applications to receive the tax credits will open on January 1.
