Arizona lawmakers reacting to child care crisis

The head of the Arizona Child Care Association sees some legislative movement toward releasing federal stimulus money for child care subsidies to avert a crisis that could develop next week.

"It's our understanding that the Senate is going to hear a bill today (Thursday) in the Appropriations Committee that would provide federal stimulus funding to restore the child care cuts," said Bruce Liggett.

Parents of thousands of children in subsidized child care have been notified that recent budget cuts mean their subsidies will run out on Monday. Officials said millions of dollars in federal stimulus money, earmarked for child care only, is available, but that it requires legislative action.

Liggett said he believes lawmakers "have realized the impact it would have on children in terms of endangering their health and safety, parents in terms of them losing employment and maybe having to seek more costly welfare and the number of layoffs that would have happened throughout the child care industry in the state."

Some 15,000 parents across the state have received letters from the Arizona Department of Economic Security, advising there is no more money for day care subsidies.

One day care owner said parents have told her that they will have to quit their jobs and go on welfare or make the dangerous decision to leave their children home alone.

Lawmakers indicated they may give Gov. Jan Brewer the fast-track legislation she wants to maintain child care subsidies.

A budget cleanup bill being drafted by Republican leaders will include a provision to authorize using $18.2 million of federal stimulus money to continue the subsidies through the current fiscal year, according to Michael Hunter, a senior policy adviser to the Senate's Republican majority. Brewer has asked lawmakers to send her a bill no later than Friday.

Liggett said there is no reason for this crisis.

"Arizona has $50 million of federal money that is specifically designated and can only be used for child care," he said. "Every day, we've got parents worried to death about what's going to happen to them."

Unlike most categories of stimulus money, the governor cannot spend child-care dollars without legislative authorization, according to both Hunter and the governor's office.

Hunter said the authorization in the bill being prepared would be for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30.

"One thing that needs to be understood is that this is just a temporary fix," he said.

Legislators are now in the early stages of work on a budget for the next fiscal year, which starts July 1.

On the Net:

Arizona Legislature: www.azleg.gov

Department of Economic Security: www.azdes.gov/aspnew/default.asp

(Copyright 2008 Bonneville International Corporation. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.)