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- American parents could be playing a very important role in mid-term polls (marketrealist.com)
Child Care Crisis: A Defining Issue for Pennsylvania’s 7th District in Midterm Elections
Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District, a crucial battleground with a high concentration of independent voters, is seeing the escalating cost of child care emerge as a central issue in the upcoming midterm elections. As Americans grapple with an affordability crisis impacting everything from housing to groceries, the strain of child care costs is resonating deeply with both families and businesses in the district.
The issue is drawing significant attention from candidates across the political spectrum. Republican incumbent Rep.
Ryan Mackenzie, a father of two young children, including a newborn, understands the personal financial crunch firsthand. He questions, “For the 40 hours that I’m going to be working, my take-home pay minus the child care for two kids – is that worth it?”
Mackenzie has previously introduced legislation aimed at increasing tax credits for working parents and businesses to help alleviate these costs, a testament to his recognition of the problem’s severity.
On the Democratic side, a field of candidates including firefighter union leader Bob Brooks, energy systems engineer Carol Obando-Derstine, and former federal prosecutor Ryan Crosswell are also highlighting the child care crisis. Brooks, who regularly babysits his granddaughters to help his son and daughter-in-law save on day care expenses, voiced the frustration many parents feel: “I’m tired of getting kicked in the teeth, watching my kids get kicked in the teeth every day… At the end of the day, people can’t afford anything anymore, child care being one of them.”
The impact of rising child care costs extends beyond individual families, deeply affecting local businesses. Dana Eldridge and Paul Miller, who founded Active Learning Centers in 2005 and expanded to multiple branches, are experiencing the brunt of this economic pressure. Their centers, which once served approximately 1,000 children, have seen enrollment drop by 30% since the pandemic.
Eldridge and Miller point to a perfect storm of challenges: professionals leaving the industry for higher-paying jobs and inflation driving up the cost of essential supplies. This forced Active Learning Centers to raise their prices in 2020, further exacerbating the affordability issue for parents.
As Eldridge articulated, “It’s this crazy, double-edged sword. Because if parents can’t find child care, or they can’t afford child care, the entire community suffers.”
The child care crisis in Pennsylvania’s 7th District is not just a talking point but a tangible burden impacting the daily lives and financial decisions of its residents, making it a critical factor for voters as they head to the polls.
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- American parents could be playing a very important role in mid-term polls (marketrealist.com)