WHEREAS, families with young children rely on affordable, high-quality child care to retain the jobs that keep them economically self-sufficient and free of public assistance and,

WHEREAS, children who attend early care and education programs that develop their intellectual, physical and socio-emotional skills are better prepared for success in school and,

WHEREAS, academic success is the single most effective strategy for the prevention of poverty and criminality and,     

WHEREAS, recognizing the need to assist low-wage earners with the costs of child care, the federal government created the Child Care Development Block Grant to provide child care subsidies for eligible families with children up to age 13 and, 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe is comprised of non-elected individuals who are reponsible for the equitable administration of public Child Care Development Block Grant funds within our community and,

WHEREAS, the Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe Program and Strategy Committee met on May 11th 2010 to consider ending all child care subsidies for children of school age beginning at Kindergarten,   

NOW, THEREFORE, be it known that we, the undersigned tax-payers, strongly oppose any and all measures by the Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe that would destabilize families, increase unemployment and demands for public assistance and, most certainly put children of school-age at great risk due to a lack of appropriate supervision.