MADISON, WI (WTAQ-WRN) — Saying it’s unconscionable that Republican legislators refused to provide more money for it, Democratic Governor Tony Evers is stepping in to fund a pandemic era child care subsidy.
Evers issued a statement Monday.
“I’m directing $170 million to continue the Child Care Counts program to help support our childcare industry through the end of the biennium providing direct relief to over 4,000 childcare providers statewide,” said Evers. “While I’m hopeful this investment will stave off an urgent collapse of our state’s childcare industry, it is a stopgap measure and will still not make our childcare providers whole. This level of funding is still less than what our childcare providers had just a few years ago.”
According to the Evers’ administration, the funding is mainly from reimbursements the state received from FEMA for pandemic response operations.
Republicans in the legislature offered their own proposals after rejecting Evers child care support plans last month.
Child Care Counts will run out of money by January without additional money.
