My response to this Ithaca Journal article as sent to the Tompkins County Legislators, The Ithaca Journal, my State Assemblywoman, Barbara Lifton and State Senator, James Seward.


I was appalled to read in today's Ithaca Journal of the "no" vote by the Tompkins County Budget and Capital Committee on contributing to emergency funding needs for the Drop In Center. Surely this is what the contingency fund is for!

In these challenging times of state funding cuts to The Day Care and Child Development Council of Tompkins County, and horrific atrocities committed upon small children in our community (Grace Manos and the Dryden children the most recent examples) it is shocking to hear that residents of this community are on the verge of losing one of the county's few quality daycare centers.

I don't know how many members of the Budget and Capital Committee currently have small children and a need for trustworthy daycare, but as someone who does have this need, I can tell you that it is very difficult to entrust your child to the care of someone else. In Tompkins County it is even more difficult, as there is a terrible and worsening shortage of daycare centers.

The Drop-In Center provides an irreplaceable service to this community, and I'm sad to see evidence our Legislators may be unclear about the devastating impact the closing of this Center would have on Ithaca... and the ensuing ripple effect on the rest of the county... as fewer and fewer places are available for our most precious resource: our children.

When my family moved here last fall, we didn't know a soul, my husband had just started a new job and hadn't accrued any vacation time when I landed a job interview. We were so lucky to have found the Drop-In Center to care for our small son for a few hours, or I could not
have made it to that interview. Thankfully I was offered the job, but then was faced with a search for permanent daycare for our son. I soon became painfully aware of the paucity of daycare options available here.

Long before coming to Tompkins County we contacted the local centers, only to learn of lengthy waiting lists. Upon arrival we hoped for more luck, and searched in a widening radius from our work until finally finding a permanent space at the Drop-In Center. We've been very happy with the consistent, high quality level of care at the Center.

In addition to providing excellent childcare, the Drop-In Center promotes true diversity to our children, and provides care on a
sliding fee scale as a real lifeline to lower income families. While doing all of this, the Drop-In Center is committed to paying a living wage to their employees.

It would be a tremendous disservice to our community if the County were to turn its back on the Drop-In Center. I implore Legislature to look at the bigger picture and try to see how vital this resource is to our entire community.

Thank you for your kind consideration on this critical issue.