Squadron Applauds Inclusion of His Proposal for Middle Class Child Care in Quinn State of City

NEW YORK – State Senator Daniel Squadron heralded a proposal for a middle income family child care program, included in City Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s State of the City address today.

Currently, middle class families have an extremely difficult time providing their infant and toddler children with high-quality care, unable to afford high-quality programs but not qualifying for free child care programs. Middle class families have enormous financial burden during the years before school starts and while their children are in college. That is why Senator Squadron proposed spreading those costs out over time to make child care more affordable for more middle class families.

By spreading out the costs, this plan would allow middle class parents to remain in or start jobs while providing their children with high-quality care and ensuring that families’ debt is manageable. 

“I'm so pleased that Speaker Quinn has made this proposal a priority for the Council. Too often high-quality child care is too high a burden for New York families. Spreading out child care costs will help middle class families stay in New York, hold jobs, and care for their families,” said Senator Squadron. “I look forward to working with the Council to make this plan a reality.”

The plan proposed today would provide subsidized high-quality childcare for middle class and working families over 275 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. The City would provide interest-free loans to cover up to 50 percent of the cost of high-quality childcare; families would repay the loans over four years. Participating families would also take part in financial literacy programs and be required to open a college savings account for their child. The Speaker’s proposal includes a pilot program for 40 families.

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