- Published: 04 March 2015
SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Patricia Van Pelt (D-Chicago) is supporting a plan put forth by the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus to help solve a child care crisis in the state. The plan comes after high-level talks between Illinois Senate Democrats and the office of the Governor on how to keep the Child Care Assistance Program, or CCAP, funded for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2015.
“This plan provides the Governor’s office with powers they requested to help fund CCAP for the remainder of the year. The legislation will let this important program continue without putting other programs at risk, without borrowing and without raising taxes,” Senator Van Pelt said.
The plan would allow the Governor’s office to shift already existing funds in the state budget to help fill financial gaps in programs such as CCAP, a program to help working families with needed child care. That program has been at risk recently due to lack of funding which has threatened to close many providers, not only putting their clients in jeopardy, but eliminating good paying jobs.
“After over a month, we feel it is time to provide our working families and child care businesses with the solution they are demanding. With this plan, the Governor’s office will now have the tools they say are necessary to resolve this crisis for the remainder of the Fiscal Year,” Senator Van Pelt said.