Davanzo introduces loan bill for Pre-K child care centers

The bill aims to help child care centers amid the state budget impasse.

State Rep. Eric Davanzo, R-Smithton, announced last week he introduced a bill that would help Pre-K Counts child care centers during the budget impasse in the state General Assembly.

The legislation would allow the Pennsylvania Department of Education to provide zero- interest loans to child care centers equal to the amount a Pre-K Counts provider would have received if the budget had been enacted. The funds would only be allowed to be used for student services and programs.

Once the state budget is signed into law, the loans would be repaid to the state through an offset against the amounts the centers would receive from the Pre-K Counts program.

In a statement outlining the bill, Davanzo blames the budget impasse on state Democrats.

“Freezing public funds is the House Democrat’s despicable game of creating victims to see who will take more of the public blame for a late budget. But we have too much on the line to play childish games and throw temper tantrums,” Davanzo said. “When working parents are turned away from their providers, they’ll miss work, creating a dip in our economy, while child care staff seek other jobs. Remember, this is an industry that has barely bounced back from the unnecessary and forced closures during the pandemic.”

According to Davanzo’s statement, Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts offers half- and full-day pre-kindergarten programs to eligible 3- and 4-year-olds from families earning up to 300% of the federal income poverty level, such as a family of four making $72,900, or children with special needs.

“Working Pennsylvanians are focused on their day-today, caring for their children, earning income, and enjoying time with their families,” Davanzo said in a statement.

“The hardships being placed on them are the result of unrealistic budget schemes that spike government spending by billions.

“Families with young children are being held political hostage by House Democrats, who are continuing to use their one-seat majority to squash responsible budget proposals, and seem to enjoy Gov. Josh Shapiro’s blessing in doing so. It’s time the interests and needs of these families are prioritized.”

In Davanzo’s memo outlining the bill to other legislators, he adds that the bill would provide flexibility for providers who participate in the Pre-K Counts program, which includes modifying the minimum number of instructional days due to not being able to open due to the budget impasse.

“There remain concrete financial and policy differences between all of the participants in the budget process, but we should not be requiring childcare providers to bear the costs of the current disagreement,” Davanzo said in his memo.