Kerry Wants Federal Afterschool Program

[CShine]

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry said Wednesday he would create a federal program that would pay to keep schools open until early evening to help working parents.

Kerry, visiting an after-school and summer school program center, said he would spend an additional $1.5 billion on after-school programs. He said he would get the money for keeping schools open until 6 p.m. from repealing President Bush's tax cuts for people earning more than $200,000 a year.

"I don't get it and I'm sure you don't either when you think of the choices that we make as adults in our country," Kerry said. "The wealthiest people in America are getting a huge walk-away-with-the-store tax break, but a whole bunch of kids who need to have after-school adult input aren't getting it."

Kerry also wants to give parents more money to help cover child care costs, to the tune of $20 billion over 10 years. Kerry says he would raise the child and dependent care tax credit to cover up to $5,000 in expenses, up from the $3,000 maximum. He would extend the benefit to some parents who currently are not eligible, including stay-at-home parents and some in lower-income families who cannot get the nonrefundable credit because they do not owe any tax.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=696&e=1&u=/ap/20040616/ap_on_el_pr/kerry

[Mithras61]

1. It would be a GOOD thing...

if they could increase the childcare credit. I can't figure out how anyone could think that $3000 comes anywhere CLOSE to the actual costs of childcare for working parents. I mean, when was the last time you paid $60/week for decent childcare? I pay more than twice that and have my child in one of the less expensive ones in the area...

[asjr]

3. Child care--good child care--is expensive. The Repubs

don't give a damn. They are always saying no to "big government." Well as I see it government is there to take care of the citizens of this country. That is why we pay taxes. Just because government helps the citizens doesn't mean it has to be big. Just fair. I would not mind paying more taxes for the benefit of our citizens.

[amlouden]

2. it's about time

but i think we should go further than after school programs

[doni_georgia]

4. Awesome!

This is so needed. We have after school care in my system, but it is $30 per child per week. Many parents can't afford it, so their kids go home to an empty house where they are unsupervised until mom or dad gets home. Out of my 21 students last year, two were in afterschool, one had a stay-at-home mom, and the other 18 were latchkey kids. I spent 7 hours a day with these kids, and there wasn't a one who was mature enough to stay home alone, much less watching younger siblings, which most of these kids did.