With the State of New Jersey beginning to reopen childcare centers on June 15 following Governor Murphy’s signing of Executive Order No. 149, many people are focused on this industry’s operational and safety conditions. The following statement is provided by Barbara DeMarco, Vice President at Porzio Governmental Affairs, LLC and a Governmental Affairs Consultant specializing in education reform. Ms. DeMarco was the lead lobbyist for Early Childhood Education Advocates, Inc. and was instrumental in getting EO No. 149 passed.

“From day one when the State started to open gradually, the need for quality childcare became more and more of an issue. Business and industry, as well as the childcare industry itself, kept saying you cannot send people back to work without childcare. Yet, the administration only focused on the children in need of subsidized care. This represents about one-fifth of the 400,000+ children in licensed childcare.  There was no focus on middle-class working parents who neither qualified for subsidized care nor could afford to have one parent stay home. Quality licensed childcare is a necessity when both parents work.

The industry submitted recommendations for reopening, asked to be included on the numerous Governor’s reopening committees, but no one responded to the industry. It wasn’t until the State Senate called a hearing on the need for childcare at the industry’s request that things started moving in the right direction.

There is great concern nationwide that many licensed childcare centers will not reopen. Prior to the pandemic, there were approximately 4,000 licensed childcare centers paying $250 million in business taxes in New Jersey. These 4,000+ businesses rented or lease commercial space paying in upwards of $100 million in property taxes. What industry will replace these businesses if they close? With an anticipated $10 billion deficit between this year and next year, decisionmakers should want private childcare industry operational so it can thrive and prosper while providing a critical service to middle-class working parents who need two incomes and do not qualify for subsidies.

Licensed childcare follows the most stringent guidelines in the country regarding environmental and health safety. I’ve been told that other than a hospital or intensive care, no environment where citizens work, live or play is kept to a higher standard. Licensed childcare are professionals at dealing with contagions. Working hand-in-glove with the Department of Children and Families and local health departments, licensed childcare facilities have successfully run their businesses safely for years, which speaks to the resilience and quality of New Jersey’s licensed childcare industry.”