I'M MARISA WOJCIK.
>> FINDING AND AFFORDING
CHILDCARE IN WISCONSIN IS
DIFFICULT FOR MANY FAMILIES AND
NOW STATE BUDGET ACTION THIS
WEEK DE-FUNDED A PANDEMIC
SUBSIDY PROGRAM THAT GOVERNOR
TONY EVERS WANTED TO MAKE
PERMANENT.
THE CHILDCARE PROGRAM AND
HUNDREDS OF MVMENTDZ IN FEDERAL
SUPPORT TO CHILDCARE PROVIDERS
FOR STAFFING AND TO MAINTAIN
COSTS FOR PARENTS.
THE DOLLARS GO AWAY IN FEBRUARY
BUT ARE STEEPLY REDUCED FOR
PROVIDERS STARTING THIS MONTH.
WE CHECK IN WITH ONE CHILDCARE
PROVIDER IN RICHLAND CENTER FOR
HER REACTION TO THE END OF THE
CHILDCARE COUNTS PROGRAM.
WE'RE JOINED BY JENNIE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> SO YOU HAVE SOME STAFF
INTENSIVE CARE BECAUSE YOU
PROVIDE INFANT CARE, I
UNDERSTAND, THE ONLY SUCH CENTER
WHERE YOU ARE.
WHAT WILL THE LOSS OF THE
FEDERAL DOLLARS MEAN TO YOUR
CENTER AND THE FAMILIES THAT YOU
SERVE?
>> I'M GOING TO HAVE TO RAISE
FEES FOR THE FAMILIES BECAUSE
I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO
BUDGET CORRECTLY TO GIVE THE
TEACHERS THAT I HAVE THE QUALITY
PAY THAT THEY NEED TO KEEP THE
QUALITY TEACHERS.
I WILL HAVE TO CUT MY BUDGETS,
MY SUPPLIES, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO
UPDATE ANY EQUIPMENT.
I MEAN, IT'S GOING TO BE A TIGHT
GO OF IT WITHOUT THIS MONEY.
>> DO YOU EXPECT THAT, GIVEN
THAT YOU HAVE TO RAISE FEES,
THAT SOME FAMILIES WILL MAKE THE
CHOICE TO FOREGO CHILDCARE AS A
RESULT AND YOU WILL THEREFORE
LOSE FAMILIES?
>> I DO.
I DO.
I FEEL PEOPLE WILL NOT BE ABLE
TO AFFORD IT, THEY WILL NOT BE
ABLE TO WORK.
IT'S GOING TO BE A DOMINO
EFFECT.
>> SO YOU WERE DESCRIBING THAT
UNDER THE PROGRAM, YOU WERE
GETTING ABOUT $10,000 A MONTH.
WHAT WERE YOU ABLE TO DO WITH
THAT EXTRA FEDERAL MONEY COMING
TO YOU THROUGH THIS PROGRAM?
>> THAT MONEY WAS PAYING THE
PAYROLL TAXES THAT I HAVE TO PAY
FOR HAVING MY STAFF, AND ALSO I
WAS UPDATING THINGS.
I RECENTLY OPENED THIS RICHLAND
CENTER AREA AND PROVIDED THREE
MORE ROOMS FOR INFANT CARE, BUT
THAT WAS WITH CHILDCARE COUNTS
MONEY HELPED PAY FOR THE TAXES
AND THEN WE ALSO HAD TO PARTNER
UP, AND THAT HELPED PAY FOR THAT
THREE EXTRA DOORS.
PARTNER UP IS STILL GOING
THROUGH I BELIEVE -- I DON'T
REMEMBER.
ONE MORE YEAR.
THROUGH NEXT YEAR.
AND WITH THIS CHILDCARE COUNTS
CUTS OFF IN FEBRUARY.
>> HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO
MAINTAIN STAFFING LEVELS EVEN
WITH THE FEDERAL SUBSIDY?
>> IT'S HARD.
IT'S HARD.
I DON'T PAY NEAR WHAT I WOULD
LIKE TO BECAUSE OF -- I MEAN, I
HAVE VERY, VERY GOOD STAFF, VERY
GOOD GIRLS THAT LOVE THEIR JOBS,
THEY LOVE THE KIDDOS, BUT I
CAN'T PAY THEM WHAT A FACTORY
WOULD PAY OR SOMEBODY DOWN THE
ROAD, THE HOSPITALS CAN PAY, BUT
THEY LOVE THEIR JOBS AND THEY
LOVE WHAT THEY DO.
IT'S HARD TO COMPETE WITH THE
OUTSIDE.
>> WHAT YOU DO IS SO VITAL AND
SO IMPORTANT AND SUCH HARD WORK.
WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO THE
LEGISLATURE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM
AND ITS IMPORTANCE?
>> I'M REALLY HOPING THAT THEY
CAN REVISIT IT AND, YOU KNOW,
FIND A WAY TO PUT IT INTO THE
BUDGET.
IT'S SOMETHING THANKFUL HAS
HELPED FAMILIES, I MEAN, THE
FUNDS -- WE'VE OPENED UP 200
SLOTS WITHIN THE LAST TWO YEARS
JUST WITH THESE FUNDS AND THE
HELP OF THESE FUNDS, WE'RE
HELPING LOTS OF FAMILIES GET
BACK TO WORK.
WE ARE IN THE BROOKLYN CENTER
AREA.
THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND
CHILDCARE.
WE'RE MOVING PEOPLE FROM OTHER
STATES UP TO WISCONSIN BECAUSE
OF THIS CHILDCARE.
I JUST HAD A FAMILY SIGN UP FROM
GEORGIA, SOMEONE MOVED FROM
TEXAS.
SO, I MEAN, THIS PROGRAM, I
DON'T RELY ON FEDERAL MONEY, BUT
IT IS VERY HELPFUL TO KEEP MY
DOORS OPEN AND KEEP THE HIGH
QUALITY CARE THAT WE GIVE HERE
AT SUNSHINE.
>> ONE OF THE REPUBLICAN
CO-CHAIRS OF THE BUDGET
COMMITTEE SAYS THEY WILL BE
BANKING $MAKING $45 MILLION
AVAILABLE NOR LOW INCOME
FAMILIES AND $15 MILLION FOR A
REVOLVING LOAN FUND FOR
CHILDCARE CENTER UPGRADES.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK
SOUNDS WOULD BE HELPFUL?
>> THE LOW INCOMES FAMILIES,
YES, BUT YOU'RE REALLY MISSING
THE MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES OR
THE -- OR THE MIDDLE INCOME
FAMILIES THAT DON'T QUALIFY FOR
THOSE PROGRAMS, AND THAT'S WHERE
I CAN KEEP MY FEES AT A DECENTLY
LEVEL FOR THOSE -- DECENT LEVEL