BY HALEY MCLEOD
How it would work
Program Slots created Annual cost
Description
Ages served
Increase accessibility and availability of full day, year-round care for income-eligible infant and toddler families Increase accessibility and availability for afterschool and summer care Increase availability and accessibility to care during early mornings, evenings, overnight and weekends Cover funding gaps in the cost of tuition for a child and the amount paid by state and federal funding towards subsidy slots Incentivize businesses and employers to contribute to the child care cost of their employees by matching county funding to employer contributions
Expand early child care
Infants and toddlers
1,878
$34.8M
If voters approve the funding, county officials’ plans emphasize increasing financial-assisted spots, followed by expanding after-school and summer programs. “This is one of those situations where we really are building a plane as we’re flying it,” Korey Darling, planning manager at Travis County Health and Human Services, told commissioners June 25. Darling said there is still a lot of work needed for programs to be implemented by their projected timeline, starting as early as summer 2025 in a phased roll-out.
Expand afterschool and summer care slots Expand nontraditional hours Fill subsidy spot funding gaps Offer co-subsidized slots, employer incentives
Pre-K through 12th grades
3,897
$11.4M
1,407
$6.4M
All ages
Infants and toddlers
1,476
$6.7M
Infants and toddlers
1,143
$4.9M
NOTE: THE REMAINING $12.48M FUNDING WILL BE USED FOR STAFF TRAINING AND EDUCATION, AND ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. SOURCE: TRAVIS COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Put in perspective
The outlook
The impacts of unaffordable child care reaches across both low and high income levels, Austin parent Geno Gargas said. “I personally wouldn’t support this tax increase… My wife and I have already made a large sacrifice,” Gargas said. “The choice after our first son was born, based on her income level, was we either pay for daycare or she stops working. The cost was pretty much the same.” A supporter of the tax rate increase, local North Austin parent Erin Gurak said this is an issue that impacts everyone. “I think it’s a really important issue that is not always talked about,” Gurak said, “[Child care has become] a choice that I think sometimes families might feel boxed into making… Do we work and try to supplement and pay for multiple children in child care, or exit the workforce?”
Gurak said this election affects everyone, even those without children.
Travis County tax rate breakdown
“It’s a workforce issue, an economic development issue, a supporting your community issue,” Gurak said. “A rising tide lifts all boats.” Texas’s economy loses about $9.4 billion annually due to breakdowns in child care, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. However, Gargas said local tax increases add up. Travis County's base tax rate increase plus the child care tax, if approved by voters, would cost the average's homeowner $288 more per year. Election Day is Nov. 5.
Proposed tax rate increase (per $100 of property value)
$0.025
Projected property tax revenue
$76.75M
Estimated annual impact to average Travis County homeowner
$122.39
Estimated monthly impact to average homeowner
$10.20
SOURCE: TRAVIS COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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SOUTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION
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