Nassau Standard

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Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R,C-Pulaski) and his Assembly Minority colleagues have put forward a plan to address the lack of high-quality and affordable child care in the state of New York. The proposal, known as the “A Blueprint for Childcare (ABC) Plan,” aims to enhance child care costs and access through various measures such as increased tax incentives, expansion of early childhood education, and improving provider options.

Barclay emphasized the importance of providing families with options for safe and affordable child care, stating, "Every family should have the option to choose a safe, affordable, care-centered program that will provide the best environment for their little one." He highlighted the potential savings for families, mentioning, "This will save the average family over $2,300."

Assemblyman Ed Ra also stressed the urgency of addressing child poverty, stating, “The rising child poverty rate reflects a failure to provide adequate support and opportunities for our most vulnerable population, a pressing concern that demands urgent attention.” Ra emphasized the need for targeted investments in child care to combat this issue and ensure educational success for children.

The Assembly Minority's proposal includes measures such as increased tax incentives for providers and families, expanded access to early childhood education, and efforts to improve the affordability and accessibility of child care. Studies have shown that such investments can significantly reduce the child poverty rate and make quality child care programs more accessible to families.

Overall, the Assembly Minority's ABC Plan is aimed at providing financial relief to families struggling with child care costs and creating a more supportive environment for New York families to thrive.