McKee pushes for bonuses for child-care workers from U.S. aid windfall

Providence Journal - 10/6/2021

Gov. Dan McKee has struggled to convince legislative leaders to let him spend Rhode Island's federal American Recue Act windfall, but he has support in the Senate for his bid to boost pay for child-care workers.

On Wednesday McKee and Senate Majority Leader Michael McCaffrey went to a Warwick child-care center to talk to managers and employees about staffing shortages.

"Every day, we hear from the child-care providers in our community how difficult it has been to attract and retain staff for these essential jobs," McKee said. "Not only are child-care providers struggling to attract new staff, they are losing current staff who are leaving for jobs that can offer higher wages."

McKee wants to use a portion of the $1.1 billion state government received from the American Rescue Act to provide "retention bonuses" for child-care workers.

"Child-care providers cannot raise wages without public investment, since the cost of child care is already unaffordable for families," McKee said. "In our state, high quality infant care can cost more than tuition for URI."

McKee is expected to propose a budget amendment in the coming days that would spend around $100 million on small business assistance, housing and child care. Of that, he has said around $50 million will be for small businesses, with the remainder split among housing and child care.

On Wednesday McKee offered as potential examples, programs in Illinois and Michigan that provide $1,000 bonuses paid for with federal Rescue Plan funds.

Rhode Island is the only state in the Northeast that has spent none of its general state government Rescue Plan money.

"We recognize that lack of access to child care can be barrier to work," said McCaffrey, a Warwick Democrat, according to a copy of prepared remarks. "Care can be cost prohibitive — or so expensive that it isn't worthwhile for a parent to work. Furthermore, the experiences of early childhood are the foundation for future academic, social, and emotional success."

Senate President Dominick Ruggerio has previously called child care a priority.

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