{"allFields":["rich_what","rich_why","who","title","location"],"content":{"title":{"heading":"Petition title","intro":"","help":"What's your petition trying to do? Remember people can't sign on to something they don't understand so keep it short, simple and punchy. e.g.:Don't build a Coal Seam Gas mine in Newtown."},"who":{"heading":"Whom are you petitioning?","intro":"Petitions only work if they address the people who have the power to solve your problem or make change. ","help":"Who has the power to give you what you want? MPs, CEOs, the Prime Minister, the Mayor etc."},"rich_what":{"heading":"What do you want them to do?","intro":"What would you write in a letter to your decision maker? ","help":"This is what you would write in a letter to your target. i.e. Dear Minister, please don't approve a coal seam gas mine in Newtown etc."},"rich_why":{"heading":"Why is this important?","intro":"Why should other people join you in your campaign for change? ","help":"This is what you'd say to a friend if you were trying to explain why you cared about this issue. Try to use a combination of facts and stories so you appeal to people's heads and hearts."},"location":{"heading":"Where is it?","intro":"Does this issue specifically impact a local community?","help":""}},"createUrl":"/efforts/washington-state-lawmakers-slash-billionaire-greed-not-child-care/petition/start","currentStep":"rich_what","extraParameters":{"external_action_id":null,"locale":"en-US","source":"landing_page","source_partnership":null},"lockedFields":[],"partnershipOptions":null,"petitionStartCreated":false,"userLoggedIn":false,"validationErrors":{},"values":{"title":"Tell the WA Legislature: Slash Billionaire Greed, Not Child Care!","who":"Washington State House and Senate","rich_what":"

Dear Washington State Legislators,

We are writing to urge you to reject cuts to child care and early learning in Governor Ferguson’s proposed supplemental budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year. Families across the state are already weathering the impact of the $1 billion in delays and cuts to child care and early learning from last session. The Governor’s proposed cuts would be devastating to child care access and worsen Washington’s affordability crisis.

There's a better way to balance the budget: with new, progressive revenue generated by finally requiring ultra wealthy corporations and billionaires to pay their fair share.

Specifically, we strongly urge you to pass the Millionaire's Tax (HB 2724/SB 6346), the Well Washington Fund tax on wealthy corporations (HB 2100/SB 6093), and a wealth tax on those with an excess of $50 million (HB 2046/SB 5797).

Every dollar raised in new, progressive revenue is a dollar not cut from child care, education, healthcare, and other essential programs. We urge you to choose tax fairness instead of cuts to child care. New, progressive revenue will infuse our state budget with the funds it needs to meaningfully care for the workforce, communities and infrastructure that enable wealthy corporations to thrive and do business here.

Specifically, the following cuts to child care and early learning in Governor Ferguson's budget are incredibly worrisome and must be hedged off by using every tool available to raise new, progressive revenue, utilize the Budget Stabilization Account, and avoid cuts like these:

A cap on Working Connections Child Care caseload of 33,000 households, resulting in a funding reduction of $217 million. This cap would result in 14,000 families removed from childcare subsidy and reinstate a recession-era caseload cap that will force moms and working parents out of the workforce.
A reduction to the subsidy rate for child care centers to the 75th percentile of market rates, which is a funding reduction of $41 million. This decreased subsidy rate puts child care providers in the difficult position of choosing between raising prices on private pay families, and/or enrolling fewer - if any - children on subsidy. It also puts more of the cost burden on private pay families to make up the difference between what the state pays and the cost of care.
A 50% reduction for professional development activities for child care providers, resulting in a funding reduction of $2.1 million. Reducing professional supports and development for child care providers - who are overwhelmingly women - affects career advancement opportunities for providers as well as quality in the classroom for children.

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Why should our littlest learners shoulder 40% of the state’s total budget cuts?! The math is not math-ing! Governor Ferguson’s budget proposal balances our state’s budget deficit by disproportionately targeting child care and early learning with devastating funding slashes.

Right now, the Governor’s budget includes $322,000,000.00 (yes, $332 million) in cuts to child care and early learning. Whether you receive a child care subsidy or not - this would be devastating to our families and communities. When the state cuts investments to child care, it’s parents and providers who have to foot the bill for the difference. Child care providers would feel the impact directly too, with a 50 percent reduction in professional development for child care providers on the line. The continually growing child care crisis will take a $6 billion hit on the state’s economy each year if the Governor’s version of the budget were passed.

There's a better way to balance the budget: with new, progressive revenue generated by finally requiring ultra wealthy corporations and billionaires to pay their fair share through the Millionaire's Tax (HB 2724/SB 6346), the Well Washington Fund tax on wealthy corporations (HB 2100/SB 6093), and a wealth tax on individuals with an excess of $50 million (HB 2046/SB 5797).

Every dollar raised in new, progressive revenue is a dollar not cut from child care, education, healthcare, and other essential programs. By choosing tax fairness instead of cuts to child care, our lawmakers can infuse our state budget with the funds it needs to meaningfully care for the workforce, communities and infrastructure that enable corporations to thrive and do business here.

Tell the Washington State House and Senate: Don’t follow Governor Ferguson’s backwards budget! Balance the state budget equitably with new, progressive revenue.

Our lawmakers must slash billionaire greed – not essential programs like child care – to balance the state budget responsibly.

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Washington State Lawmakers: Slash Billionaire Greed, Not Child Care!

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