Gov. Lamont promotes free childcare as Republicans blame him for high cost of living
At least 19,000 parents will get free childcare under Gov. Ned Lamont's signature Universal Preschool Endowment. Lamont hopes it convinces struggling families to support him as Republicans blame him for Connecticut's high cost of living.
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Sometimes politics gets personal.
Ned Lamont - the governor - stopped by a day care in Stratford on Monday to promote his signature Universal Preschool program. He hopes to win over struggling parents in his bid for a rare third term.
But Ned Lamont – the granddad – wanted to play with the kids.
“How old are they?” the 72-year-old governor asked.
“Two turning three,” their teacher told him.
“Two turning three,” Lamont replied. “Just like my grandson.”
PARENTS STRUGGLING
It’s unlikely that Lamont, a multimillionaire from Greenwich, ever struggled to pay for childcare. But he knows that parents like Katie McNally do.
McNally stayed home with her daughter because the alternative was too expensive.
“I had Winnie at home with me for a couple of years, but that was a lot to bear working from home and having a kiddo at home,” McNally said. “We were brand-new homeowners, had just gotten married, when we found out we were pregnant with her. So it was kind of a lot at once.”
Now, Winnie attends Honey Bear Learning Center in Stratford after being accepted into the Early Start CT program. Thanks to state subsidies, McNally pays a sliding scale for childcare.
But the money only goes so far.
“Even a $400 a month family fee is still too much for certain families,” said Cathie Vanicky, whose family has owned Honey Bear since 1986.
“OUR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT”
On Monday, Lamont visited the center to tout his $600 million Universal Childcare Endowment, which is expected to grow over time.
Starting on July 1, families making up to $100,000 a year won’t pay anything, while those earning up to $150,000 will pay a maximum of $20 a day. Children ages 3 through 5 qualify.
Facing criticism from Republicans about Connecticut’s high cost of living, Lamont is staking his legacy on the program.
“If we look back in 25 years, I think this will be the thing we’re proudest of,” he told his running mate, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz.
“Our biggest accomplishment,” she replied.
Connecticut lawmakers doubled down on the endowment this year, adding an extra $300 million in budget surplus. The funding was moved outside of Connecticut’s “fiscal guardrails” that limit spending.
The money would have gone to build budget reserves and pay down the state’s massive pension debt, which has already dropped significantly under Lamont.
$600 MILLION PRICE TAG
Critics argue that there’s nothing “free” about a $600 million program.
“Ask yourself: Is Connecticut more affordable than it was four years ago or two years ago? Are my property taxes and electricity bills and health insurance costs lower? The answer is no,” Connecticut Senate GOP leader Stephen Harding (R-Brookfield) said after the budget was passed.
But Lamont insists that free childcare will actually save money by growing the state’s workforce and tax base.
“Businesses are saving money because they often were the ones providing this,” he said. “Obviously, young families are saving $10-20,000 a year.”
Waiting lists are getting shorter too, thanks to new incentives for childcare workers, including higher pay and tuition assistance.
“If we can pay, if we can give benefits, if we can give them dignity,” Vanicky said. “If we can give them that, you know, we can help them stay in the field.”
“CAN WE AFFORD TO HAVE ANOTHER BABY?”
McNally has a second child on the way. This time, she won’t have to stay home.
“That was one of the first things we kind of started doing the math on, was, ‘Can we even afford to have another baby?’” she said.
