Michigan legislation proposes tax-free child care fund to aid families with costs

LANSING,Mich.—Askanyyoungfamily,andthey’lltellyouthatchildcareistooexpensive,fromdiaperstodaycareandpreschool. Newlegislationcouldthrowthosefamiliesalifeline,usingsomethingthattypicallypaysforcollege. AshleySeiler’sfour-and-a-halfyearoldsonattendspreschoolassheandherhusbandpursuetheircareers. Whenhewasborn,Seilerdidn’treallythinkaboutpayingforchildcare,butwhenitcametime,itwasadauntingprospect. “Knowingthatyouhavetospendupwardsofathousanddollarsjusttobeabletosendyourkid,itmakesyouthink‘isitworthit,youknow,goingtoworkandthenalsopayingthat?’,”Seilersaid.“Wehaveafriendthathasoptednottosendtheirkidjustbecauseofthecostofit.Itdoesn’tmakesensetothem.” AccordingtotheMichiganAssociationfortheEducationofYoungChildren,itcosts$10,861tocareforaninfanteachyear. Thatfiguregoesdownasthechildgrows,butnotbymuch.Byagefour,familiesarestillpaying$8,890annually. “My