Child care challenges affect economy and tax base
A new survey attempts to put a cost to the disruption in Georgia’s economy when parents miss work or leave the workforce altogether due to challenges with child care.
The phone and internet survey of 400 parents commissioned by the Metro Atlanta Chamber and the Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students found that one in five parents quit work, school or training over child care issues. More than one in three also miss up to a week of work or work training and nearly a quarter turn down a chance to further their educations.
It cost the economy and the tax base when Brittany Marks was sidelined to care for her son. “I want to know that I’m not sacrificing his well-being for my financial gain,” she said at a panel discussion at the Chamber offices Tuesday, where the survey and a related report, “Opportunities Lost: How Child Care Challenges Affect Georgia’s Workforce and Economy,” were unveiled.
The report estimates that the state lost out on over $100 million in tax revenue because parents like Marks had to opt out of the economy to care for their children. The Chamber and the Alliance hope to spur a pubic discussion about the provision of child care.
About the Author
Ty Tagami is a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since joining the newspaper in 2002, he has written about everything from hurricanes to homelessness. He has deep experience covering local government and education, and can often be found under the Gold Dome when lawmakers meet or in a school somewhere in the state.
