Judge halts day-care cuts for nearly 60,000

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

An Alameda County judge on Friday delayed the elimination of a state-subsidized child-care program that serves nearly 60,000 low-income parents until at least Nov. 23.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger had eliminated funding for the program when he signed the state budget in October. The cutback, which was projected to save the state $256 million, was necessary to keep the budget balanced, the governor said.

But program advocates sued, arguing the state should have automatically enrolled parents into other subsidized day-care programs, if they were eligible. The program serves parents who were once on welfare but now hold jobs that do not pay enough for them to afford child care.

Superior Court Judge Wynne Carvill agreed with the advocates and first halted the cut last week. On Friday, the judge issued a temporary restraining order freezing the cutbacks at least until a hearing on the case is held later this month.

Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez (D-Los Angeles) cheered the judge’s ruling Friday as “good news for the working families and child-care providers who were jeopardized” by the program’s elimination.

-- Shane Goldmacher in Sacramento