http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/childcarecuts/ I would like to make a stand against Governor Carcieri's proposed child care cuts as they would hurt many families, businesses and the economy of RI as a result. Presently, the income guildelines for any assitance barely allow families living slightly above poverty levels to qualify for help. Therefore, cutting this assistance even further will be detrimental to many more families falling in this excluded income group (if you make $25,755 or more a year). An average family will have to pay more than $15,500 for child care assistance, taking up more than sixty percent of their income for child care. I don't know of any family that can live and support their family on $10,000, the amount left after paying for child care, for the whole year. This will eventually lead to more families returning to cash assistance and thousands of children with no safe place to go. Studies have shown that early care and education lead to a more successful career in school for students. They are also 77% more likely to be engaged with school if they attend quality before and afterschool programs. If we want to become the Education State then how does this make any sense? A study by the Greater Providence Chamber of COmmerce showed that for every dollar the State invested in child care, $1.75 was returned to our Economy. Therefore, RI could stand to lose more than $30 million due to child care concerns. As a single mom I know how difficult it can be to make ends meet even with assistance. If these cuts take place I will no longer pay to work as both of my children require daycare at this point. Child Care Assistance has helped me get back into the working world after a messy divorce. I did everything to avoid using cash assitance. I just don't how it makes sense to punish families who are trying to be productive and make it impossible to afford to work because it will cost more for daycare! We need to make sure this is not overlooked! I need your signatures in order to make state representatives aware of the severity of this issue. Thank You! Fri, 4 May 2007 12:1:01 CDT en-us 3 http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/childcarecuts/#sig3444301 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST Cutting child care would be a big mistake, it would create more mothers to have to stay home and collect wefare which is already out of control and hurting of course the middle class. http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/childcarecuts/#sig3442988 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/childcarecuts/#sig3441435 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/childcarecuts/#sig3437486 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/childcarecuts/#sig3437305 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/childcarecuts/#sig3437156 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST I agree with everything stated in this petition. In todays world with grandparents still having to go to work into their sixties, grandchildren no longer have the option to stay at home with them. This generation of parents need daycare assistance to survive! http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/childcarecuts/#sig3435337 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/childcarecuts/#sig3433155 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/childcarecuts/#sig3433076 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/childcarecuts/#sig3403121 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/childcarecuts/#sig3402860 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/childcarecuts/#sig3402817 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:0:00 CST