This is the proposed spending plan for Whatcom’s new property tax for child care

Members of the Whatcom County Council got their first look at plans to spend an estimated $10 million per year that’s being collected by the new property tax for child care, preschool education and related programs.

Proposition 5, which passed by 20 votes out of 108,560 ballots cast on Nov. 8, 2022, creates a Healthy Children’s Fund, which will be administered by the Whatcom County Health and Community Services Department.

Health and Community Services Director Director Erika Lautenbach offered a broad outline of spending plans for the first two years of funding under the measure in a presentation to the council’s Committee of the Whole on Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 21.

“This is a really unique opportunity to make an impact on the littlest in our community,” Lautenbach told the council.

Lautenbach said that expanding child-care access and related programs was “legacy work” for those who are committed to its implementation.

Plans are to spend the bulk of funds collected In the Health Children’s Fund’s first two years on early learning and child care centers and programs to support “vulnerable” children:

▪ $12.8 million or 64% on early learning and child care.

▪ $5.4 million or 27% on vulnerable children.

▪ $1.8 million or 9% on administrative costs.

According to a resolution presented Tuesday, the Health Children’s Fund is an effort to provide new resources for children and families that will increase access to early learning and day care in poor and rural areas.

It aims to decrease disparities caused by race, geography and income and reduce homelessness and child neglect and abuse, according to the text of the plan.

It will take time to develop and launch specific programs, Lautenbach said, asking for patience.

Among the possibilities discussed in the resolution are:

▪ Raising pay for child care workers who earn an average $30,000 a year.

▪ Offering subsidies for families.

▪ Recruiting more mental health and behavioral health professionals to Whatcom County.

▪ Creating child care “hubs” to share administrative services.

▪ Funding small capital projects.

Health and Community Services officials would offer technical assistance, because “many of these providers have never worked with government before,” Lautenbach said.

A public hearing is planned on the spending plan at the council’s next meeting, March 7, Lautenbach said.

Final vote on the budget requests could come March 21, she said.

Proposition 5 was placed on the ballot by the Whatcom County Council and had broad support from employers who said that a lack of affordable child care was a major reason that many local jobs go unfilled.

It charges property owners 19 cents for every $1,000 of assessed valuation, meaning that the owner of a home assessed at $500,000 will pay $95 a year for the 10-year life of the levy.

In a written report to the council, the Children’s Initiative Committee said that 34% of all Whatcom County households spend more than 30% of their income on housing, including the 51% of households who rent.

Some two-thirds of families lack access to child care, keeping parents and caregivers out of the workforce, the report said.