Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Krekorian announced Wednesday he wants the city to pursue a ballot measure to fund programs for young children.
Krekorian is asking city staffers to report back on ways to expand licensed child care programs at the Department of Parks and Recreation. According to the councilman, the department offered licensed child care programs at 26 facilities but now there are only 2 facilities where the programs are offered.
In his proposal, Krekorian cites a 2017 county and First5LA study that says licensed centers in Los Angeles County and family child care homes only have capacity to serve 13 percent of working parents with infants and toddlers. In California, “it costs more to pay for child care and early education than it costs to send a student to the California State University system,” he said.
“This is imposing an unbelievably difficult burden on working families. It is hurting our ability to build the economy of the future. And it is depriving these young children of the best opportunity that they’ll have to succeed later in life,” Krekorian told reporters Wednesday.
Krekorian reportedly also suggested that the city look into possible funding in the state budget proposed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Read more at the LA Times.