Political Voices
Perspectives from Party Leadership
More Childcare Could Help Iowa’s Struggling Economy
Republicans Deliver Real Relief for Families
| The lack of affordable and accessible child care costs Iowa about $1.1 billion a year in lost earnings and tax revenue By: Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart When Kim Reynolds gave her big annual speech at the beginning of the year, she told Iowans that “the condition of our state is strong” and that “childcare has been a longstanding priority for my administration.” Now that we’re seven months into the year, I have some questions for Kim Reynolds. What makes Iowa so strong? Is Iowa strong because the Bureau of Economic Analysis ranked Iowa as 49th in the nation in economic growth and 48th in personal income growth? Or because Iowans’ hourly pay is lower than most other midwestern states, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics? Certainly, the Republican-championed Medicaid cuts that could soon put many hospitals in a tough position where they have to reduce services and close departments won’t make our state any stronger. The fact that 25 percent of Iowans and 35 percent of rural Iowans live in areas that do not have access to childcare isn’t making our state any stronger, either. Researchers at the Annie E. Casey Foundation found that the lack of affordable and accessible child care costs Iowa about $1.1 billion a year in lost earnings and tax revenue. Think what a difference that kind of money would make to individual families. Iowa Child Care Connect reports that as of April 23rd of this year, 41,435 children in Iowa lack child care. The number of child care businesses has dropped by more than 60 percent in the last 10 years, according to the Iowa Women’s Foundation. I have a feeling that those businesses did not close because they were “strong”. Kim Reynolds has been governor for over eight years, and her ‘longstanding priority’ has left enough children without essential care to fill an entire city. This is a serious issue in our state, not only because of its effect on the well-being of children, but because of its effects on their parents and extended families and the economy in general. Many parents in Iowa are unable to remain employed because their child care options are so severely limited. The Annie E. Casey Foundation study I mentioned before found that 14 percent of Iowans have been forced to quit, change or turn down a job because of childcare issues. Twenty percent of Iowa parents who were interviewed reported they were fired because of ongoing childcare struggles. That leaves these same children in financially-strapped households. As a grandmother myself, I am aware that my own children and their spouses struggle to find and be able to afford adequate child care. It’s particularly difficult to find providers for babies and the cost of infant care can be astronomical.. Child care providers all over the state struggle to pay their staff a living wage while keeping their prices low enough for young families to afford. Iowa clearly needs more investment in our most precious commodity, which is our children. Access to childcare needs to be affordable, high-quality, and spread out across the state so that all communities and families can benefit. This will require significant planning and investment by the Iowa state government as well as creating alliances with businesses and schools to develop out-of-the-box solutions, something that eight years of ‘longstanding priority’ has clearly failed to provide. We need a change in leadership, one that will take this issue seriously instead of merely using it as a statement piece for speeches. Iowa families deserve better. |
| Democrats Talked. We Acted. By Jeff Kaufmann, Chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa Raising a family is no easy task, but it shouldn’t bankrupt you. As both a parent and grandparent, I’ve seen how much harder it is for Iowa families to afford housing, groceries, and especially child care. Four years of record-high inflation under Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have left working parents stretched thin. Under their administration, the cost of child care rose by 23 percent. For parents, especially with multiple children, it’s become nearly impossible to afford. Democrats talked a big game about solving the problem, but their “Build Back Better” child care plan collapsed, and their runaway spending only made life more expensive. Once they took charge, Republicans didn’t wait around. In less than six months, President Trump and Congressional Republicans passed and signed the One Big, Beautiful Bill, delivering the largest tax cut in American history and real relief for families. The bill permanently expanded the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit by $9.3 billion, the first meaningful update since 2001. That’s an average increase of $900 in deductions for a family of four. They also raised the cap on Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts by 50 percent for the first time in nearly 40 years, allowing parents to pay for child care with pre-tax dollars. Republicans also tripled the tax credits for companies that help their employees access child care, incentivizing more on-site or employer-supported options. These changes come alongside a permanent $2,200 per child increase in the Child Tax Credit and depositing $1,000 into a savings account for every newborn in America. Together, these reforms are putting real money back in the pockets of parents and giving every child a stronger start in life. Meanwhile, every single Democrat in Congress voted against it. Why? Because they’d rather deny families a win than give Republicans credit for fixing what Democrats failed to do. Republicans aren’t just helping parents pay for child care. We’re tackling the broader cost of living. No tax on tips. No tax on overtime. Targeted action to lower the cost of housing, groceries, gas, and healthcare. That’s what it looks like when you focus on solutions, not politics. And here in Iowa, we’re leading the way too. Governor Kim Reynolds and the legislature have worked to expand access to child care through innovative grant programs that help businesses create new options for their employees, support partnerships between preschools and child care providers, and make it easier for parents to find care that fits their needs. These Iowa-led solutions complement what Republicans are accomplishing nationally, and together, they’re making a real difference for working families. Democrats are left fearmongering and spinning because they have no answers, but Iowans can see the results for themselves. Republicans are the pro-family party. We’re delivering the relief parents need – and we’re just getting started. |