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Q&A
Council involvement and communication with state officials on childcare funding
3:35:33
ยท
3 min
Council Member Stevens expresses concern about the Council's late involvement in the childcare funding issue and inquires about communication with state partners. The discussion reveals:
- The Council was only recently informed about the funding gap issue
- Council Member Stevens reports that some state officials and legislators were unaware of the issue when contacted
- Commissioner Dannhauser asserts that there have been ongoing conversations at various levels of city and state government
- There appears to be a disconnect in communication, with some state officials seemingly unaware of the issue despite ACS's reported frequent conversations
Althea V. Stevens
3:35:33
Yeah this is one of the ones that like I know we've just been brought into the conversation, which hopefully moving forward please know that we're your allies and that we can also help advocate because now if you know we've been doing the best that we can and I know that's why I guess he left.
Nevita Bailey
3:35:53
Oh, there you go.
Althea V. Stevens
3:35:54
Where's oh he's over there.
3:35:55
Oh, not yet.
3:35:58
Not yet, Lincoln.
3:35:59
Calm down.
3:36:00
Who's very excited and and literally here just for this specific topic because we do want to figure out a solution how to mitigate this together.
3:36:10
But again, you know you stated we just we've learned we've we were just brought into this conversation.
3:36:18
We when did ACS reach out to the state and like how long ago, I know you said you've been in talks with the the deputy commissioners and the commissioners.
3:36:28
Has ACS been working with state partners to ensure adequate funding is provided to the city to meet the full demand of the childcare vouchers?
3:36:36
What was the result of those conversations?
3:36:39
When did OMB, the deputy mayors, and the mayor become aware of this?
3:36:43
And are there are and are they also advocating to the state for additional funding for childcare?
3:36:48
Because, like I said, we just learned about it and I know we've been myself and Lincoln's been doing it.
3:36:54
I know the woman caucus put us together letter.
3:36:56
So the council's really been trying to scramble to really push this in the forefront, but, know, we wanna know what has been going on the other side since we were not brought into the conversations until late.
Jess Dannhauser
3:37:07
So all of those things, the answer is yes.
3:37:09
Conversations at every level.
3:37:11
There's conversations from city hall to the governor's office.
3:37:14
There's conversations between OMB and DOB.
3:37:16
There's conversations between us and the governor's office in addition to OCFS.
3:37:23
So it is unequivocally a very high priority for the administration that we are able to maintain the gains that that we had.
3:37:31
As I
Althea V. Stevens
3:37:32
said I would like to go on record by saying when I reached out to the governor's office, they were not as aware.
3:37:36
And then when I reached out to the state legislator, they also weren't aware.
3:37:39
So I know that there was some there's clearly some disconnect because I know I reached out to state members individually and I reached out to the speaker and they were like this was not on our radar.
3:37:49
So I'm not really sure how or who specifically you guys were talking to, but there has been some disconnect.
Jess Dannhauser
3:37:55
So there's a you know, this has been a real priority for both the governor and the mayor with a lot of resources put into it.
3:38:05
It's been a collaborative process with Office of Children and Family Services at the state level where they've encouraged this growth.
3:38:12
Our hope is that we can have this funding put in so that we can continue these gains and meet our requirements to the mandated population.
3:38:21
We have great partners at the state level around this and we have been engaging with them all throughout.
3:38:28
I don't know how to sort of connect the dots that you're not seeing, but I can assure you that there's been very, frequent conversations with the state.