Advocates are hopeful a referendum in New Mexico to provide hundreds of millions of dollars a year in additional funding for early childhood education can provide a national model for other states to follow after Congress failed to pass a long-hoped-for boost to child care.
The referendum appears on a smooth path to passage. There is little organized opposition to the idea, and polling indicates a solid majority of the state’s likely voters support it. But the unusual funding mechanism – it draws cash from a $26 billion trust fund powered by oil and gas revenue – means similar proposals could face a more challenging road elsewhere.
“We are fighting as a national movement, state by state, partner by partner, in making certain that folks that work in childcare centers are compensated, that childcare centers are elevated to basically the status that they deserve, that they are a cornerstone of our economy,” said Jennifer Wells, the director of economic justice at Community Change. This progressive group hosted a gathering of child care workers and advocates to plot strategy last weekend in Albuquerque.
The coronavirus pandemic, combined with the subsequent inflation, has created an ongoing child care crisis, with prices rising and spots for children rare in many parts of the country. Increased wages in other fields have lured underpaid child care workers out of the industry, exacerbating the problem.
The push for expanded, affordable, quality child care and early education at the federal level, like so many other major Democratic goals, fell by the wayside as negotiations with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) whittled down President Joe Biden’s agenda. Advocates were careful to note federal action will eventually be necessary even if the states begin to act.
New Mexico, traditionally one of the nation’s poorest states, has especially acute needs. One out of every four children in the state lives in poverty. The Annie E. Casey Foundation ranked the state 50th for child well-being, though advocates say that ranking is based on data from 2019 and 2020 and does not reflect gains from post-pandemic policy shifts.
Getting there was a slog. Andrea Serrano, the executive director at the New Mexico progressive group OLE – an acronym for Organizers in the Land of Enchantment – said the fight started over a decade ago. Getting the constitutional amendment on the ballot meant passing the proposal through the legislature, which meant lobbying and supporting challenges to obstinate legislators.
A new levy from New Mexico’s permanent fund will pay their bills instead, which takes royalties from oil and gas production on state lands and invests them. The state pulls 5% of the fund annually to spend on education. The constitutional amendment will increase that to 6.25% – an increase of about $230 million a year – with 60% of the money going to child care and early childhood education, including pre-kindergarten programs and at-home visits for new mothers. The remaining 40% will go to K-12 education.
Objections to the measure in the legislature mainly focused on the long-term effects of drawing down money from the fund. The Albuquerque Journal noted spending more of the fund now means the state will get less cash each year from the fund in 20 years than they would otherwise.
Replicating New Mexico’s unusual funding mechanism might be the most significant barrier to passing similar referenda or initiatives in other states: Advocates acknowledge the sell would be more challenging if it meant a hike in sales, property or income taxes. But they say convincing the public the cash is worth it is possible, noting studies have shown every $1 spent on early childhood education can save $7 down the line.
Cerchione is one of the childcare providers hosting events next week dedicated to raising the profile of child care as a voting issue ahead of the midterm elections. Events organized by Community Change will also take place in Washington, D.C., Minnesota, Texas, New York, Georgia and California.
Gallegos, who is now the co-executive director of the National Child Care for Every Family Network, noted that not every state has a pot of money to fund child care and early education. And even if they did, many states don’t have initiatives or referenda for voters to weigh in. But what is replicable, she said, was the broader strategy.
There is another group of people closely watching the referenda: Democratic strategists. While expanding and improving child care has typically polled well, turning it into a vote-changer has proved difficult. Democrats are hopeful that putting the issue on the ballot can change that and win over GOP-leaning voters who support the idea. Strategists mentioned Michigan and Ohio as possible targets for future votes.
This content was originally published here.
Comments are closed.