Children and families of the working poor in Erie County may see increased benefits as a result of an announcement made Monday by Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz.
“By leveraging unused child care funds, we will now be able to restore the subsidized child care eligibility rate to 200% without any fiscal impact on local taxpayers,” said Poloncarz. “This means dozens upon dozens of families in our community will have access to high-quality, affordable day care for their children while allowing their parents to work."
According to a study conducted by Cornell University, every dollar spent on child care in Buffalo-Niagara generates $2.06 of additional economic activity to the local economy.
Poloncarz said day care provides a vital service for the working poor and offers a meaningful experience for children. Tax rates will not increase because eligible parents pay a portion of the child care costs.
“The child care industry supports businesses and workers, and is a significant contributor to our local economy. By making subsidies available, Erie County is helping parents remain employed and reducing their need for public assistance, while helping businesses attract and retain the workforce they need to succeed, and injecting the local economy with millions of dollars in state and federal funding. In short, subsidized child care is a win any way you look at it," said Poloncarz.
Under the present 175% eligibility level, Erie County's day care subsidy covers about 49 hundred children each month. An increase to the 200% level would cover an estimated 200 more children. The Federal Child Care Block Grant distributes the funds through New York State to offset the costs of child care for the working poor through the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program.