Spending on Kids Causes Fight

Early education spending is becoming a flashpoint in the budget impasse. Pennsylvania Governor Rendell says he won’t retreat on early education spending even if it means childcare centers have to lay off staff or close their doors as they wait for a final budget. A state budget is now 7 weeks overdue.
Two line items in the Department of Public Welfare budget provide more than 300 million dollars in child care subsidies for low-income families.
Senate Republicans proposed trimming Rendell’s suggested spending on those lines by 17 million dollars, so the governor blue-lined the items, cutting off assistance for childcare centers across the Commonwealth.
Speaking at a rally outside the Capitol, Republican Representative Dan Moul, of Adams and Franklin Counties, said that decision is forcing facilities to close their doors.

"That means all those people that are not only employed by this community action program, but all the families that are destroyed by not having those programs available to them."

But appearing with Rendell, Jodi Askins, who heads the Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children, argued the short-term closures are worth it, if it means avoiding Republican cuts.

"Because in the end, what happens is people will have to pick between the kids they formerly used to serve."

She says the sacrifice is worth it, even if some families temporarily lose access.