New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson Jr. today issued the following statement regarding the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) move to pay the City’s home daycare providers the State-mandated wage increases they were owed, while also cutting 1,100 daycare slots:

“For almost two years, the City dragged its heels and failed to increase the wages of the 28,000 hard-working home daycare providers as mandated by the State. Not only was the City depriving low-wage workers of much-needed income, it also was risking State and federal subsidies for child care. It’s about time the City did the right - and legal - thing by raising home daycare providers’ wages.

While the City gave with one hand, it took away with the other. The City has simultaneously decided to cut 1,100 slots for children whose parents are out of work or sick. With this move, the City is once again demonstrating that it is not thinking of the most vulnerable New Yorkers, who are in the most need of help from the City. Instead of spending $45 million to retrain out of work Wall Street executives who receive large severance packages, the City should find ways to help working families who are struggling to make ends meet.”

Over the last several months, Thompson joined home daycare providers in calling for the wage increases they were owed.

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