Consensus Building for Bigger Child Care Tax Credit in Pennsylvania

Consensus continues building in the General Assembly as lawmakers embrace expansion of the state’s child care tax credit. What exactly an expansion looks like remains to be seen, though Gov. Josh Shapiro, Senate Republicans and House Democrats – who play key roles in negotiating the state’s budget – agree more must be done. “We have reached the point where this is no longer an issue for families, but an issue for employers across the commonwealth,” Nicole Reigelman, spokeswoman for House Democrats, told The Center Square on Monday. According to the Economic Policy Institute, care for one child in Pennsylvania nears $12,000 per year – a cost so prohibitive that nearly 1.6 million parents have left the workforce entirely. During his budget address last week, Shapiro said the state’s economy loses $3.5 billion each year because of lacking child care options.