Untitled Document
Childcare update
On Thursday, August 26th the Legislature received the grim news that the September forecast showed a $377.5 million shortfall. This is on top of the $577 million shortfall we received in June that resulted in 9% across the board budget cuts to all state agencies. Now the Governor is ordering another 8% across the board budget cuts.
New calculations of the Employment Related Day Care program (ERDC) shows that if we keep the cuts ordered by the Governor in June (access solely to families who are leaving TANF, capping enrollment, and creating a reservation list), it will mean that 7,000 families and 13,000 children will lose their child care assistance.
What is going to save ERDC is two fold: One, due to Congress passing Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentages (FMAP), Oregon will receive around $260 million to patch up some of the hole. Two, we need to have every single provider and their parents, and friends contact their state legislators to protect ERDC. You can find your legislator here: http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/
During a time of record high unemployment, it is important to protect the programs that are going to keep families working and to prevent more families from being added to state assistance, driving up more cost to the State of Oregon.
Contact Emergency Board Members right away
Sen. Peter Courtney, Co-Chair - Salem
sen.petercourtney@state.or.us 503-986-1600
Rep. Dave Hunt, Co-Chair - Clackamas
rep.davehunt@state.or.us 503-986-1200
Sen. Alan C Bates - Medford and Ashland
sen.alanbates@state.or.us 503-986-1703
Sen. Betsy Johnson - Astoria
sen.betsyjohnson@state.or.us 503-986-1716
Sen. Rod Monroe - East County
sen.rodmonroe@state.or.us 503-760-4310
Sen. David Nelson - Pendleton
sen.davidnelson@state.or.us 503-986-1729
Sen. Chip Shields - North Portland
sen.chipshields@state.or.us 503-986-1722
Sen. Jackie Winters - Salem
sen.jackiewinters@state.or.us 503-986-1710
Rep. Vicki Berger - Salem
rep.vickiberger@state.or.us 503-986-1420
Rep. Peter Buckley - Ashland
rep.peterbuckley@state.or.us 503-986-1405
Rep. Bob Jenson - Pendleton
rep.bobjenson@state.or.us 503-986-1458
Rep. Betty Komp - Salem
rep.bettykomp@state.or.us 503-986-1422
Rep. Tina Kotek - North Portland
rep.tinakotek@state.or.us 503-986-1444
Rep. Nancy Nathanson - Eugene
rep.nancynathanson@state.or.us 503-986-1413
Rep. Greg Smith - Hermiston
rep.gregsmith@state.or.us 503-986-1457
Share your story with legislators. How will this affect your business? How will this affect your families? How will affect the children? Urge your State Senator or State Representative to protect ERDC by fully restoring it for the rest of the biennium. You can do that by following this link. (It is important to share your story, but please refrain from relaying what other state programs should be cut)
Another good resource for advocacy is by going to: www.cffo.com/erdc.