Working Moms Despair Over Day Care Cuts
Community Outrage
by Anne Silverstein
The stories were hard to listen to as one-by-one, working mothers stepped up to the microphone to tell lawmakers and union representatives how Mayor Bloomberg’s insensitive cuts to day care for many of the city’s lower middle class will affect their families.
One mother, her voice shaking, said she couldn’t afford private babysitting for her children and depended upon city-subsidized child care so she could work. Another mother said her success in life was rooted in her own attendance in city-subsidized day care, and she wanted her children to have the educational advantages of quality care. And a third wanted to know if Mayor Bloomberg understood that if he cut off her day care, she could no longer work and would have to receive government aid to survive.
Stephen Russo, Executive Director of Goddard Riverside Community Center in Manhattan, where the meeting was held on May 25, said that the mayor’s plan to take away essential services to the city’s working families was “wicked” and “cynical.” In addition, “It made absolutely no sense” politically or economically. But the flip side was this. “It energized the community in a way I haven’t seen …” Mr. Russo said in his opening remarks to an audience of about 100.
The open microphone, the focus of the Town Hall meeting set up by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, gave the community a chance to speak up about the city’s smoke and mirror budget proposal for Day Care, which has reduced countless parents to tears because they are so worried about how they will get by.
Initially, the city announced the elimination of 16,500 child care slots, including 4,000 in city-subsidized centers, which CSA members supervise. After public protests from lawmakers, parents, education advocates and community organizations, the mayor restored $40 million of the $91 million he intended to cut, and in a confusing statement, announced that full services would be restored through a consolidation of services by different agencies.
“All pre-school age children (approximately 4,500 children citywide) will be offered a child care slot at an ACS-contracted program, maximizing any vacant slots available whenever possible at a cost of $25 million,” said the Mayor’s budget presentation. “DYCD will expand its Out of
School Time contracts to provide after-school care to approximately 10,500 school-age children at a cost of $15 million.”
Although the city says everyone who received services in the past will continue to do so, child care advocates, including CSA First Vice President Randi Herman say it isn’t so. “It is impossible to figure out, from the materials they have sent to parents, how the city intends to continue providing quality care to the more than 50,000 children who currently receive services,” she said. In addition, the city is trying to persuade the public that the services will be comparable or identical with those offered in the past. “And they’re not,” she said.
Dr. Herman was on the Town Hall panel who heard parents and Day Care staff members vent their rage at Mayor Bloomberg and his apparent inability to understand how hard life is for many working mothers. Said Mr. Stringer of how the Mayor has handled this matter: “This budget dance has spiraled out of control.”
To further complicate matters, the city in May released its Request For Proposals for its $500 million Early Learn NYC reorganization of day care services in the city. The reform is designed to set universal care standards and extend hours of care, but will serve several thousand fewer children who presently receive subsidized day care services.
Bids must be submitted by Aug. 11. Existing Day care facilities will have to apply through the RFP to receive approval for funds. The four-year contracts, will start on Sept. 1, 2012.
