(Editor's note: This is just one part of a series of stories about local candidates in the upcoming June 2 primary, municipal and school board election. Find more coverage here.)
Simplified: Sioux Falls' childcare crisis is well-documented, including noting that it costs more in one year to send your kid to a childcare center in Sioux Falls than it would to send them to a South Dakota state university. With that in mind, we asked Sioux Falls City Council candidates their thoughts on the city's role in helping address these challenges.
Here's what we asked:
What role, if any, do you think the city should play in addressing the ongoing childcare crisis in Sioux Falls?
Here's how candidates responded (in reverse-alphabetical order):
At-Large A
Juliann Perrigo Talkington was unable to meet in-person or respond to questions sent virtually in time for publication. This will be updated if/when those responses are received or a meeting is set.
James Oppenheimer said whatever the city can do to help, it should. He suggested looking at some sort of tax break for childcare providers or maybe some kind of incentive for folks looking to open a center.
"It's something where the state hasn't been super active, so can the City of Sioux Falls step up and do something?" Oppenheimer said. "I don't have a firm answer on that, but I've seen how important kids are, and have worked with kids. I would love to speak with people in childcare to see what we can do to help."
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Vince Danh said childcare is a workforce issue, and that it's something the city should be invested in. He also cited experiments with a tri-share model in Rapid City and Brookings.
"We're projecting to have so many more jobs come to town with the Foundation Park factories," Danh said. "People need to be able to work, and they can't if they have to find childcare – and if their childcare’s too expensive, they don't work."
At-Large B
Samantha Scarlata said she'd be supportive of the city hiring a childcare coordinator and potentially supportive of the city paying in to offset childcare costs. But she also wondered why centers are charging as much as they do.
"For me – and here’s where people might get upset with me – for me, I think if you really wanted to be there for the kids and the families, why are you charging so, so much? Especially when people are already struggling," Scarlata said.
Rich Merkouris wasn't asked this question in our initial interview (I'm sorry, guys...it was a lot of topics to cover, and a couple things got missed. I'll reach out and get an answer for you ASAP.)
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