Child Care on the Larimer County Ballot

Everyone relies on someone who relies on child care. Whether you have young children

at home, in your family and chosen family, or have never thought about child care, it’s a

vital part of our community infrastructure. This November, Larimer County voters have

an opportunity to make a lasting investment in our young people, community, and

workforce through Ballot Measure 1B. The measure proposes a 0.25% sales tax (that’s

25 cents on every $100 spent) on nonessential goods to expand access to affordable

child care, increase wages for early childhood educators, and invest in quality home and

center-based child care programs.

The Challenge

Quality, affordable child care connects people across age, gender identity, and sexual

orientation through the ways it shapes both our youngest community members and local

economies. Larimer County, like many communities across the country, is experiencing

a deepening child care crisis. Caregivers face two-year waitlists, tuition costs that rival

rent and college, and limited access to licensed programs. At the same time, early

childhood educators—the people we trust with our children’s development—often

struggle to afford to stay in the field.

According to Larimer County ALICE data, a household of four with one infant and one

preschooler pays an average of $2,282 per month at minimum for child care.

Meanwhile, licensed care meets only 25% of the projected demand for infants and

toddlers and 64% for preschoolers. This leaves many families are left to patch together

care or leave the workforce altogether.

These challenges have ripple effects across the economy. The NoCo Works External

Barriers Report identified access to child care as one of the top barriers to regional

economic growth. Sixteen percent of local employers report losing employees due to

child care issues. Meanwhile, 15% of early educators in Colorado live in poverty. To pay

teachers fairly, centers would need to raise tuition by over 40%, a burden families can’t

absorb.

Without affordable and accessible child care, kids miss out on critical opportunities to

develop social, emotional, and motor skills and caregivers can’t work. Businesses lose

employees and our social services and economy suffer.

The Opportunity: Measure 1B

Child care providers, nonprofits, community leaders, and businesses have come

together to offer Larimer County voters a once-in-a-generation opportunity. If passed,

measure 1B will generate an estimated $28 million per year to strengthen the early care

and education system in Larimer County. The proposed funds would be administered

through the Early Childhood Council of Larimer County and dedicated to the following:

• $11 million directly to low and middle income caregivers to offset the cost of child

care for children ages 0-5

• $9 million to support and retain early childhood educators through wage

increases, benefits, and professional development

• $2 million for capital improvements and expansion of both center- and home-

based programs

The tax is estimated to cost the average Larimer County voter $30-50 per year, with

essentials like groceries, gas, and prescriptions exempted from the tax. Measure 1B

also includes a 20-year sunset ensuring that this investment lasts a generation.

Public funding is the foundation of a stable, high-quality child care system and a shared

commitment to care. It’s how we ensure every child has the strong start they deserve,

every educator earns a living wage, and every family and chosen family can thrive.

This blog post represents the views and opinions of a guest author and may not be fully representative of Rocky Mountain Equality’s position.