Transcript

Hi, folks. This is your State Senator Jeff Smith, checking in for the Chippewa Valley. 

I want to talk to you today about something that affects thousands of families across Wisconsin — and right here in the Chippewa Valley — and that’s child care.

Right now, we’re facing a real crisis. A new report shows that one in four child care providers in our state may have to close their doors this summer if funding isn’t renewed. That means fewer options for families, longer waitlists, higher prices — and parents being forced to leave their jobs because they simply can’t find or afford care.  

In the Chippewa Valley, we already know how hard it can be to find quality child care. We cannot afford to lose even a single provider.  The impacts on our community will be huge — for families, for employers and for our local economy.

That’s why Governor Evers has proposed $480 million in the next state budget to continue the Child Care Counts program. This program has been a lifeline for providers. It helped them stay open during the pandemic, pay their staff decent wages and avoid passing rising costs onto parents.

Without it, many providers will have no choice but to raise prices, cut hours or shut down completely.

We can’t let that happen. We need the Legislature — especially the Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee — to do the right thing and fund this program in the budget.

Child care isn’t a luxury. It’s essential to helping kids - and families – thrive in safe, nurturing environments.

Please make your voices heard. Call your legislators. Share your stories. Let them know that child care matters, and that investing in it means investing in the future of Wisconsin.

Stay tuned for more updates. This is Senator Jeff Smith signing off.