TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas — Travis County leaders rolled out a campaign on Saturday that aims at energizing voters to approve a proposal that would make childcare more affordable countywide.
“We’re counting on Travis County to support the future of our children and families,” said Cathy McHorse, the coalition manager for Affordable Childcare Now.
Proposition A would include a property tax rate increase of 2.5 cents per $100 valuation. County leaders say that would come out to about $10 per month for the average Travis County resident, which they equate to one lunch.
“It’s a small way to invest tremendously in the future of our community,” McHorse said.
The increased proposed tax rate would add about $75 million in funding for child care in Travis County. County leaders say that funding would lead to increased wages and recruit more childcare workers.
“We have basically zero capacity in Travis County right now because we’re struggling to fill the gap in that early childhood and afterschool workforce because they don’t get a living wage,” McHorse said.
It would also allow the county to expand the hours of childcare for parents who don’t work a traditional 8-to-5 job.
Many parents in Austin who attended Saturday's event say they are hopeful to see the proposal approved, citing their own experiences.
“I don’t say this lightly, it’s nearly impossible to find infant toddler spots in particular right now,” said Austin mom Madison Mattise.
Mattise is a mother of two who lives in Austin with her husband. Not only did the couple wait nearly a year to get their daughter a spot in child care, they were also shocked at the cost.
“We weren’t prepared for this financial reality, it was a second mortgage every month,” Matisse said.
Affordable Childcare Now says childcare costs in Travis County can be over $13,000 annually, which is more than some state college tuition. That’s why they, along with other Texas leaders who were at the launch like U.S. Reps. Lloyd Doggett and Greg Casar, are hoping Travis County voters set an example by passing Prop A.
“We are taking the leadership at the local level to set a model for the state, of what can be done to help children across this community,” Doggett said.
It’s also what many moms like Matisse are hopeful to see this November.
“We’re ready for Austin leaders to put a stake in the ground and say ‘We care about families and we want the next generation to have a fighting shot here,’” Matisse said.