As more people in Juneau begin to buy home security systems and fret over how to battle addiction epidemics, it is time to do more to support the development of healthy and successful youth and families. In this area, Juneau is failing its young children and families. Abundant scientific study shows that ages 0-5 are the most critical learning times for youth, as the brain is hard wired for lifetime success or failure before the age of five.
Safe, affordable, available, and high quality child care and preschool is critical community infrastructure and a key component of Juneau’s Economic Plan. Research over 40 years demonstrates high quality and early learning is linked with lower substance abuse, crime rates, and high school dropout rates.
The economic model for child care and preschool is a market failure. The amount families can afford to pay is not sufficient to encourage people to enter the child care and preschool industry, even though there is a high demand. Without some outside help, like financial support from a community, we will NEVER be able to have enough safe, affordable, available, and high quality child care and preschool.
This coming October, Juneau citizens will vote on renewing the current 1 percent temporary sales tax. In the past, this part of the current 5 percent sales tax has been used for capital projects, like building the Valley Library or fixing existing buildings and infrastructure. Using ½ percent of the 1 percent (about $4.25 million) would keep the sales tax at 5 percent The 5 year authorization of sales tax allows voters to decide in five years if this was a good use of public funds compared to other capital projects.
A key argument for building a new library in the Valley was to serve youth. Of course, operating a library, or any other public service, has significant long term operating costs paid for by taxes. Making safe, affordable, available, and high quality child care and preschool for every family and child who wants it is likely the most critical infrastructure need in our community because it changes the lives of every child in Juneau and every family and the community itself forever.
Harbors: Juneau does not have enough boat stalls for all of the people who own or want boats, so the community builds more boat stalls. Juneau only has less than half of the child care and preschool “slots” it needs to serve Juneau’s families. We need more “slots” for our young families to be able to stay in Juneau.
Water: If Juneau had toxic leaded water pipes like Flint Michigan, it would absolutely replace the water pipes. Social scientists describe the impact of adverse childhood experiences as “toxic stress” that actually prevents normal development of the brain of a young child. But high quality child care and early learning has proven to help treat “toxic stress”, and build resilience in young children. (See https://highscope.org/perrypreschoolstudy)
Skiing and skating: Juneau has used public funds to build, improve, and operate a ski area, ice rink, and many other parks, trails, etc. Much of the emphasis is on providing youth with wholesome activities and making Juneau more “family friendly” and a better capital city. Providing safe, affordable, available, and high quality child care and preschool is likely the greatest thing Juneau could do to make Juneau one of the most family friendly communities in the nation, the best capital city, and nurture successful students and reduced long term incidence of crime, substance abuse, etc.
Roads: Funding a safe, well-maintained system of roads is a high priority to Juneau residents. According to scientists, safe, affordable, available, and high quality child care and preschool helps build permanent positive “neural pathways” in the brain that increase the likelihood for success in school and life.
Citizens of Juneau have always approved helping our youth if there was a clear need and an affordable solution. Please show your support to allow the voters to decide this October. Learn more at: www.juneaubeststarts.org Consider emailing the Mayor and Assembly at BoroughAssembly@juneau.org.
• Kevin Ritchie is a former CBJ city manager and served as executive director of the Alaska Municipal League for more than 10 years.
