They say when you’re blessed with twins, like my husband and I have been, there’s “double the giggles and double the grins.” And while it’s true that it’s often twice the fun, there is another aspect that’s more sobering: having two babies at once simply costs more.
When we found out I was carrying twins, we talked about our options and looked into the availability and cost of child care. My husband was on active duty in the military and I was working in an office. We knew our lives would change, but wondered what two children would mean for our jobs, health care, and more. Between the cost of care and the logistics, we decided it made more sense for me to leave my job and stay home with the infants. We’ve been making it work for three years now.
My daughters are now enrolled in an Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) program, funded through the Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families. The twins love going to school and their experience in a social environment has been enriching for all of us. The activities and new skills — learning numbers and the alphabet, singing songs, taking turns, waiting in a line — have helped them overcome mild developmental delays they have from being born prematurely. My husband and I also have the benefit of parent coaching and life skill building.
Like most families right now, we are watching costs for everything go up. Prices of haircuts to housing, and groceries to gas have increased. Our wages haven’t kept up. Neither has our tax code. Low- and middle-income families like mine pay up to 16 percent of our earnings in state and local taxes. On the other hand, the wealthiest people in our state pay just 3 percent — some even less.
Our tax code isn’t just upside-down, it’s incredibly unfair and insulting to families like mine. Together we’re shouldering more of the load of the state budget while those with the most get away with paying less than they truly owe in taxes. To add injury to insult, the programs that we desperately need and deeply care about are now at risk.
It’s disappointing to learn that [Washington early learning] funding programs like ECEAP and subsidized child care are on the chopping block by lawmakers. Families like mine, who are already working hard to make ends meet and stretch every dollar, rely on these programs. We don’t need a lot of help, just enough to make sure we’re doing the best for our kids and giving them the headstart they deserve.
ECEAP has made a huge difference for our family, providing learning opportunities for children and parents alike, connecting us with new friends and supportive professionals. We can’t imagine our lives without it.
State legislators are considering cuts of $1.3 billion to early learning programs alone, including a reduction in the number of ECEAP spots available to families like mine and the elimination of the Early ECEAP program entirely.
But let’s remember, legislators have choices. Instead of deep cuts that would hurt families, they could choose to fix our tax code in order to pay for critical services like child care, housing, and education. As I might tell my preschool daughters, legislators should understand they don’t just have scissors, they can use glue sticks and tape in the form of taxes on the wealthiest individuals and most profitable corporations. Instead of cuts that would take away services, they could add money that would protect programs and help working families like mine. There are many progressive revenue options for them to consider, like a previously introduced tax on stocks and bonds or closing the payroll tax loophole for companies who pay the highest salaries.
I ask legislators making budget decisions to remember that there are real people like us behind the numbers. Please make sure early learning and education stay accessible for every child and family who needs it. Behind every cut you make is a person whose important educational, social, and emotional well being is at stake. Instead, ask the wealthy to pay more of what they truly owe.
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