NEW YORK CITY, NY, MAY 17, 2019 – The New York City comptroller, with support from some state legislators, is pushing for a new payroll tax to dramatically expand access to affordable care for the city’s youngest children.
A proposed state bill would raise almost $660 million, elected officials say, allowing the city to serve 34,000 more infants and toddlers from birth through age 3.
Calling his plan NYC Under 3, Comptroller Scott Stringer positioned the proposal as a benefit to families and also the city economy by growing the workforce. But he also said that expanding childcare could help improve academic outcomes for students from low-income homes.
“Achievement gaps and inequality don’t start in grade school or kindergarten, or even pre-K,” Comptroller Scott Stringer said at a press conference to announce his plan. “They start on day one.” Read more.