Guest editorial: Child care issues — Park City’s no exception
Approximately 77% of Utahns live in a child care desert, according to the Center for American Progress.
Children Advocacy Day on the Hill at the state capitol was on Friday, Jan. 27 and the Park City community was well represented. Local parents, children, staff and board members from PC Tots, Early Childhood Alliance, Voices for Utah Children and the Park City Community Foundation were present. City Councilwoman and mother Becca Gerber was one of the featured speakers.
A new report released by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation in partnership with the Salt Lake Chamber, Utah Community Builders, United Way of Salt Lake and Voices of Utah Children reveals Utah’s current child care landscape. Approximately 77% of Utahns live in a child care desert, according to the Center for American Progress.
Park City is no exception
The facts from the study:
84% of parents feel overwhelmed by the cost of child care.
Utah’s state regulated child care system is only meeting 35% of the state’s child care need.
Many early educators who care for children rarely make a living wage.
43% of parents surveyed reported missing work or class at least once in the past three months.
10% of parents voluntarily left a job due to child care issues.
48% of parents in the past 12 months needed to make a significant adjustment to their school or work training due to child care issues.
26% of parents had to change their child care arrangement due to COVID pandemic
Currently, House Bill 167 would allow some state agencies to create an on-site child care facility, along with House Bill 170, which would provide a nonrefundable tax credit for each child to help with the cost of child care for families that make between $60,000 and $94,000. A bill that would create a sales tax exemption for materials used to expand a child care program, House Bill 282, is also on the list. Please contact your state representatives and ask they SUPPORT these bills.
Summit County State Senators and House Members
John D Johnson: john@johnforutah.com
Ronald M. Winterton: rwinterton@le.utah.gov
Kera Birkeland: kbirkeland@le.utah.gov
Brian S. King: briansking@le.utah.gov
Mike Kohler: mkohler@le.utah.gov
Whether you are a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle or without children of your own, your involvement is needed in the Wasatch Back. The research is clear: When a child has access to quality early childhood care and education, they have the best prospects to excel in school and in the community. Help improve the lives of the youngest members of our community and our local workforce families.
Learn more:
PCTots.org
EarlyChildhoodAlliance.net
UtahChildren.org
ParkCityCF.org
UtahCareforKids.org
Guest editorial: Saving our capital’s namesake, the Great Salt Lake
Utah’s government needs that same commitment to action.
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