POUGHKEEPSIE – Governor Kathy Hochul made an appearance in Poughkeepsie earlier this week to announce that Dutchess County was receiving $20 million to develop a plan for effective childcare for children from newborns to the age of three. The county, working with Day One Early Learning have been tasked with developing a pilot program that will ease the burden of parents who cannot find educational and affordable daycare. Dutchess County joins Broome and Monroe Counties as the only recipients of the funding, pending approval by the state legislature.
Asked about offsetting cuts in federal funding for programs, including childcare, Hochul did not mask her disappointment with the White House. “We just had to go to court and get a restraining order against their efforts to stop $3.8 billion in childcare and family support money,” she said, noting that millions more in federal funding earmarked for law enforcement in New York are also being cut by the administration.
“They are singling out five Democratic states. They didn’t even try to cover it up. We’ve stopped that for now, and now they’re saying if we don’t cooperate with ICE and their civil immigration enforcement, they will take away all of our money,” Hochul exclaimed.
The Governor noted that she works with the state police to keep communities safe, and sent a message to President Trump. “This is just a threat – to intimidate states like New York into bowing into submission, and that is something we will never do,” adding, “You touch any of our money for the State of New York and we’ll see you in court!”
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