New York's Child Care Subsidy Expansion Plan Entangled by Trump's Freeze: Governor Hochul Says State Must Fight Back
The state push to expand child care subsidies has hit a roadblock as President Donald Trump's administration froze access to federal funding for the program. New York officials say the move, citing concerns over fraud, will leave thousands of families in red and blue counties without access to affordable childcare.
Governor Kathy Hochul has voiced her outrage, saying that roughly $3 billion in funding is at stake - a significant portion of which comes from the federal government. While some state funds may be available, Hochul warns that providers won't immediately feel the pinch, as reimbursements will still be made.
State lawmakers, including Democratic Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi, are now facing an uphill battle to implement their expansion plans without federal support. They plan to look into alternative revenue sources, including raising taxes on the wealthy, a proposal that has been met with skepticism from Republicans.
"It's a tough job ahead of us," Gounardes said, as the freeze only complicates matters. "We need to figure out how to make this work, even without federal support."
The move by Trump's administration has sparked accusations that Democratic-led states are being unfairly targeted in their efforts to provide affordable childcare. The state is currently pushing for an expansion of pre-kindergarten programs and increasing funding for existing subsidies.
As Hochul pointed out, "You shouldn't have to be a millionaire to raise a family in this state." The situation highlights the ongoing tension between the state's desire for affordable childcare and the federal government's priorities on fiscal responsibility.
The state push to expand child care subsidies has hit a roadblock as President Donald Trump's administration froze access to federal funding for the program. New York officials say the move, citing concerns over fraud, will leave thousands of families in red and blue counties without access to affordable childcare.
Governor Kathy Hochul has voiced her outrage, saying that roughly $3 billion in funding is at stake - a significant portion of which comes from the federal government. While some state funds may be available, Hochul warns that providers won't immediately feel the pinch, as reimbursements will still be made.
State lawmakers, including Democratic Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi, are now facing an uphill battle to implement their expansion plans without federal support. They plan to look into alternative revenue sources, including raising taxes on the wealthy, a proposal that has been met with skepticism from Republicans.
"It's a tough job ahead of us," Gounardes said, as the freeze only complicates matters. "We need to figure out how to make this work, even without federal support."
The move by Trump's administration has sparked accusations that Democratic-led states are being unfairly targeted in their efforts to provide affordable childcare. The state is currently pushing for an expansion of pre-kindergarten programs and increasing funding for existing subsidies.
As Hochul pointed out, "You shouldn't have to be a millionaire to raise a family in this state." The situation highlights the ongoing tension between the state's desire for affordable childcare and the federal government's priorities on fiscal responsibility.
. $3 billion is a lot of money, and it's not like they're asking for it to party or anything 
. It's just basic support for parents who need help with childcare so they can work and pay bills too.
. It feels like the federal government is trying to send a message about how irresponsible Democrats are, but what about all the actual people who are gonna be affected? I mean, shouldn't we prioritize making sure everyone has access to affordable childcare regardless of politics? 
. Maybe there should be more ways for states to get funding or for corporations to step up and help out too 
. It's just not right that some families are gonna lose out on vital support because of a bureaucratic freeze 
$3 billion is like, a lot of cash and it's gonna be super hard for these families without access to affordable childcare 
. I feel bad for the parents who can't afford it now 
. The fact that they're targeting blue counties specifically is no coincidence, imo... 
They're supposed to be there to help families, not make them struggle even more. I've got a friend who works in daycare and she's already having trouble making ends meet, let alone with this new freeze. It's so frustrating that the Trump admin is just going to leave thousands of kids without access to affordable childcare because they're worried about some minor fraud issues 
. It's like, Governor Hochul said, you shouldn't have to be a millionaire to raise a family in NY... how are they supposed to do that now?