In a recent episode of In Focus Missouri, host Lori Chung discussed the updated child care tax credit legislation with State Senator Cindy O’Laughlin and State Representative Brenda Shields. Senator O’Laughlin highlighted the high cost of child care in Missouri compared to minimum wage and the lack of facilities available to meet the needs of parents. She emphasized the impact of a child care desert on both parents and employers. Representative Shields spoke about the importance of child care for the economy and explained the three child care tax credits in the legislation. She stressed the need for affordable child care facilities to address retention and recruitment issues faced by employers. Show Me Institute’s Elias Tsapelas discussed the importance of education and how their research helps parents evaluate different school districts. He explained the open enrollment policy and how federal rollbacks could impact education. Tsapelas also talked about the limitations of statewide tax credits and how they may not necessarily lead to more facilities or cheaper options for child care. Overall, the guests highlighted the need for affordable child care options in Missouri and the potential positive impact the legislation could have if passed and signed into law.
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