Res 0052-2014

By Council Members Cumbo, Koo, Levine, Palma, Rose, Levin, Johnson, Reynoso, Rosenthal, Dromm, Van Bramer, Mendez, Miller, Cornegy and Menchaca Whereas, According to the National Institutes of Health, children in high quality day care programs tend to score higher on tests of cognitive and academic ability later in life; and Whereas, According to the New York Times, the average annual cost of full-time day care in New York State is $14,939, or 16.5% of the state median income for married couples; and Whereas, This relatively high cost can make day care difficult for many parents to afford, potentially putting their children at an educational disadvantage; and Whereas, New York State Social Service Law permits a social services district, like the New York City Human Resources Administration, to use funds allocated from the State Child Care Block Grant to provide assistance to supplement the cost of day care to certain parents or guardians; and Whereas, Under this Social Service Law, eligible parents or guardians include those who work full time jobs, are engaged in community service, attend high school or an equivalent training program, are physically or mentally incapacitated, or have family duties away from home which necessitate their absence; and Whereas, Parents or guardians attending four year educational institutions are not considered eligible to receive child care assistance; and Whereas, However, parents or guardians who attend four year educational institutions are taking steps to improve the economic wellbeing of their families, and should not be discouraged from doing so by an inability to pay for day care for young children; and Whereas, Extending eligibility for day care assistance to parents or guardians in four year educational institutions would allow them to both send their children to daycare and continue their own education; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York State Legislature to pass and the Governor to sign legislation to amend the State Social Services Law, allowing the New York City Human Resources Administration to grant day care assistance to parents who attend four year educational institutions. PD LS #563 2/12/14