Alaskans should consider candidates’ records on childcare and affordability at the polls

For Alaskan voters this election, we may not have a candidate we love in every race, but we do have candidates who are much better poised to improve our lives in concrete ways. For families in Alaska, our biggest expense after our mortgage or rent is childcare. This recent article in the Beacon covers past votes and some candidate positions at the state level, but there are national policies that are important to highlight as well. 

Let’s take a look at the frontrunner candidates for U.S. Senate. Of them, Democrat Mary Peltola goes the furthest on the issue of affordability for families of young children. Her campaign proposes to reinstate a significant increase — from $2,200 to up to $3,600 — to the child tax credit. She noted that when the credit was higher as  part of the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act, it reduced child poverty by 40%. In addition to this, the policy stance she has on eliminating taxes for Alaskan families making less than $92,000 a year will help a critical industry: childcare workers. The high turnover because workers can’t afford to stay in their line of work contributes to a lack of affordable childcare and reduces the quality of available childcare. Peltola also endorses a tax credit for people who spend more than 30% of their income on housing; this tax credit would also benefit childcare workers and make it easier for them to stay in this vital industry. This is a hallmark of Peltola’s policies – practical, common sense approaches to help working families. 

Sullivan has a mixed record.  He supported some policies to help families, such as setting up a center to help families understand the tax breaks that are available to them. He reintroduced a bipartisan bill for $100 million dollars — over multiple years — for childcare worker training and improvement of facilities. This bill is welcome, but a drop in the bucket of what’s needed, and it doesn’t address the core issues of affordability. He’s never voted or voiced support for the American Rescue Plan, which put $39 billion towards childcare, and he voted against a budget resolution for the bipartisan infrastructure act that would have included childcare funding.  His overall voting record on affordability has set us back, and his tax cuts don’t go far enough to help families. He’s voted for work requirements for Medicaid and SNAP, adding an administrative burden to people who are working already and under significant stress — including childcare workers. He has also repeatedly – in votes and in rhetoric – supported the actions of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which has conducted raids in childcare facilities in front of horrified children, and which has arrested thousands of people who are in the country legally. Given what a significant part of the childcare workforce is made up of immigrants and refugees, these actions – supported by Senator Sullivan – are having a real chilling effect on the childcare workforce in an already strained industry. 

Getting this issue right is important because it boosts our economy and invests in future generations of Alaskans by making it more possible for families with children that are born here to stay here. Hopefully, we can ask more from federal candidates about what they’re doing for Alaskan families and childcare affordability. Let’s continue to make this a front and center election issue; our children, our families and our economy needs it to be.