Menlo Park's Future

Will West Menlo Park Child Care be Privatized?

Fellow Residents:

Today, we know the following:

1.       Our General Fund budget will most likely be in the red by a reported $3.1 M this year.

2.       The City-run West Menlo Park childcare program is being subsidized by at least $358,000 per year, and because enrollment has dropped the subsidy has increased.

3.       Even with the subsidy, the tuition cost to parents is about the same as the cost of private programs.

4.       The Menlo Park child care program does not have the State accreditation that comparable private programs have. 

5.       If the quality of city-sponsored childcare were brought up to private standards, it would be much more expensive than its private counterparts.  {NOTE: The private programs have better quality at the same tuition cost as the subsidized city-run program.}

These facts may have led our Mayor to suggest that we should re-consider outsourcing our West Menlo Park child care program.  It looks like two other Council Members agree.  I encourage all of our City Council to back him up on this reasonable idea--with due haste--so the changeover can occur by the fall of 2009.

I contend that before the Council digs dipper into the City’s reserves and/or increases the Utility Users Tax they should look at ways to end heavy city subsidies that are unnecessary. 

As always, I encourage you to write to me at [email protected]

If you would like to read any of my previous emails please link to http://menlofuture.weebly.com

Thanks,

Lee Duboc