Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce Urges Expansion of Child Care Subsidies through the State Budget
Statewide and Local Polls Find New York Business Leaders and Parents Overwhelmingly Support Expanding Child Care Subsidies
Rochester, NY – Robin Hood, a New York City poverty-fighting organization, today released results from a statewide poll showing New York State business leaders overwhelmingly support expanding child care subsidies through the state budget, which is due at the end of the month.
The poll found that 76% of business decision makers support making more families eligible for child care subsidies so that the state would cover full child care costs for a family of four making below $106,000 would — lifting tens of thousands of New Yorkers out of poverty. More than one third (37%) of business leaders “strongly” support this policy. Last week, a poll released by Robin Hood found New York State voters supported expanding child care subsidies beyond the Governor’s proposal by a 2-to-1 margin.
- Over three-in-four New York business decision-makers (76%) favor making more people eligible for childcare subsidies
- A majority of business decision-makers say that lack of child care is a “serious” problem for their business
- Decision makers at larger New York State businesses have stronger support for expanding child care subsidies through the state budget
A Monroe County survey, conducted in partnership with The Children’s Agenda, found that the balance between caring for children and work is a crisis or major problem for 7 out of 10 Monroe County families, and 5 out of 10 parents say their stress is high as a result of the pandemic.
- More than half of families said that affordability was an issue
- 90% of respondents would support a child tax credit, and 89% said more after school programs would be helpful. 87% supported connection for parents with resources like food, housing, employment, health, and other essential needs
- Loss of income has struck more families who saw the greatest economic disparities before the pandemic. Parents without a college degree and women reported more lost income than their college-educated and male counterparts
Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bob Duffy said, “Supporting parents allows them to be a part of our state and region’s post-pandemic recovery. With thousands of open positions and a need for strong talent, we can’t afford to let barriers like child care costs and access sideline some of our most valuable workers. An investment in child care is an investment into the future of New York’s businesses. Thank you to Governor Hochul and our state legislature for their leadership and funding towards this important issue.”
Expanding access to child care is critical to our post-pandemic economic recovery. A recent analysis found increasing state investments to help families access quality, affordable child care would lift 84,000 New Yorkers out of poverty, allow 76,000 single parents or secondary earners to re-enter the workforce, increase income for 1.2 million families, and reduce the child poverty rate for babies and toddlers across the state by 12%.