COLUMBUS, Ohio — More than 200 parents and families rallied at the Ohio Statehouse, urging lawmakers to fund affordable child care in the state budget.
When children are out of school, child care accessibility becomes even more essential for working parents.
"The cost of child care and the scramble to find child care, particularly in this time of year in the summer, is a big challenge that we juggle every year," mother of three Kat Yamagushi said. "The cuts that we're facing right now are gonna be really devastating."
Parents like her cheered when Gov. Mike DeWine's proposed budget raised publicly funded child care eligibility from 145% of the federal poverty level to 160% — $51,000 for a family of four.
Among other provisions in his child-focused budget, he created a $1,000 tax credit per child for working families. This would be funded by tobacco tax revenue.
But in both the passed House and Senate budgets, lawmakers like Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) took the provisions out.
"I don't think it's a tremendous tax break to many Ohioans," the attorney said, noting that it is great for the people who can take advantage of it. "I also don't think that $1,000 is necessarily going to change the lifestyle."
The chamber leaders have begun to negotiate on a combined budget, with Finance Chair Brian Stewart (R-Ashville) leading the House.
RELATED: 'Neither side will compromise': Ohio House, Senate begin budget reconciliation
I asked him about the removal.
"There's a finite amount of dollars, and we've done what we think we can afford to do," Stewart said.
Where is that finite amount of dollars going?
In the Senate, it goes to their 2.75% flat income tax, meaning the highest earners in the state, those making more than $100,000 a year, will no longer have to pay 3.5% in income tax, making them equal to the lower tax bracket.
RELATED: Ohio Senate GOP moves to give wealthiest Ohioans tax cut
In early June, I asked Senate President Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) to explain why the wealthiest Ohioans get a tax break, while child care faces cuts.
"It was one of those issues where we probably left it at the flat funding," he responded.
Leaving it at flat funding means no increase from the last budget, with no adjustment for inflation and an increased need for child care.
However, McColley's budget also cuts existing access to Medicaid for babies, existing child hunger prevention and existing safety efforts.
RELATED: Child care programs take hits in Ohio Senate budget, even a Republican-supported one
Advocates are urging both chambers to reconsider.
"We're going to see a lot of folks struggling and suffering and making very difficult choices about how to stretch their dollars — and sometimes making dangerous decisions about what they can do with their children if they don't have access to safe, affordable, high-quality child care," Yamagushi said. "People make very hard decisions in order to try to make sure they keep a roof over their heads."
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