TOWN OF POUGHKEEPSIE – State Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon took a break for some story time on Monday.
She read Click, Clack, Moo to a dozen or so toddlers at the Louis Greenspan Day Care Center at SUNY Dutchess after touring the facility, which serves 62 families of children ages18 months to 5 years old. Appropriately chosen for the labor commissioner, the story is about cows who go on strike for better working conditions.
Reardon, who was appointed labor commissioner in 2015, was visiting Dutchess County as part of her effort to tout Governor Hochul’s 2026 budget, which includes nearly $5 billion earmarked for universal childcare and pre-kindergarten.
“We know from the Department of Labor that there are three real barriers to employment—childcare, transportation and housing,” said Reardon. “Childcare is probably the biggest barrier of all because if you can’t find available childcare, someone is going to have to not work. It’s an economic issue.”
Back in January, the governor announced that Dutchess County would be one of three counties in the state tasked with developing a pilot program to offer additional childcare options to its community, with a particular focus on children ages 0-3.
Poughkeepsie-based Day One Teaching and Learning Center is a model for Governor Hochul’s plan—a non-profit that provides childcare and education for children ages 18 months to 5 years-old. It also features a teacher apprentice program. With the help of the governor’s plan, it hopes to expand.
Although the $20 million designated for Dutchess County will support up to 1,000 seats for preschool, daycare providers say that staffing issues will be a challenge.
“I really wanted to visit this facility because they’re doing such a great job as part of the program,” said Reardon. “They’re going to be doing two evening childcare programs to help people who are in school here in a couple of months, but they also have the regular childcare.”
Alexis Valle is a Dutchess Community College nursing student, who works two jobs and has her five-year-old daughter enrolled in daycare on campus.
“It’s really helpful. It’s beneficial–a clean, safe environment, and if there’s a problem, I’m just a building away,” said Valle.
Dutchess Community College President Dr. Peter Jordan says those in business and industry continually ask him for help in solving their employment problems.
“If we don’t have places that offer affordable quality childcare for families, we’re not going to get talented folks who aren’t currently in the work force–to join the workforce,” said Jordan.
Reardon says she is confident that the Governor’s Universal Childcare plan will move forward, although it will take time.
“The time has come, but It won’t happen overnight,” she said.
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