We have been receiving a few responses to our ‘red letter ’ regarding the possible suspension of child care subsidies due to the lack of a State Budget. Everyone wanted to know what this meant. We explained that our subsidy contracts are issued by the State Department of Education. Until the Legislature and the Governor approved the Budget, the State Comptroller would not issue our funds. No Budget, no money. No money, potentially no child care.

As of August 2nd there is a budget and we expect to get the first installment of our contracted funds very soon. We don’t anticipate any problems with the first part of the fiscal year. However, we are waiting for everyone to work through the fine print & rider bills where things may change beginning in October.

Some of those fine print items include:
• Reducing providers’ rates from 93% of the Regional Market Rates (RMR) to 85%. So, for example, if the DN RMR is $7.50 per hour then the 2003/2004 RMR will be $6.38 per hour.
• Reducing the services to families by changing the family income eligibilities and ages of children eligible for care.

We are not out of hot water. More trouble is brewing for the 2004/2005 fiscal year. Child care and development programs are expected to start that year with a $262 million dollar deficit. We will be going through an even more drastic process next spring.

What can providers and parents do right now? Please remember that politicians listen to YOU rather than us. YOU are their constituents. Please don’t throw away the Legislative contacts information on the back of the red letter. Use it. I spoke with a provider that telephoned Senator Aanestaad’s office. I really appreciated her doing this. Parents and providers have influence. Tell Senator Aanestad and Assemblywoman Patty Berg your stories: how you need childcare to work and go to college. Write them - your own words are powerful. Organize: there is a local DN Child Care Providers Association (contact Sarah Johnson, President @ 465-1093) and/or start a chapter of Parent Voices, an advocacy group for parents receiving child care support (Humboldt Chapter # @ 707.444.0420 X 310 or www.parentvoices.org for the statewide network). There are free public access computers at the Family Resource Center on Price Mall.

In the mean while, the staff of the DNCCC is available to answer your questions. Please feel free to call Maggie Nunnely, Char Blackburn or myself if you are a parent or provider with concerns. Our Board meets the fourth Tuesday of every month at 5:30 and the State Budget Update is regularly on our agenda.