Laura's Corner

REFORM CHILD CARE SUBSIDY ASAP

Posted by Laura Beyer on Jan. 31, 2009

If you read the paper on a daily basis, you might have run across this little ditty:

http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/watchdogreports/38309864.html

To make a long story short, 3 sisters, who abuse the Wisconsin Shares childcare subsidy program, have collected over HALF A MILLION dollars by watching each others children.

When my children were young, I paid child care costs out of pocket.  When my then-husband was overseas in Korea for a year, I paid babysitters to watch my daughter while I worked full time.   Upon his return home, I gave birth to our second daughter and we made the decision that it would be cost effective for me to stay home.  I gladly accepted and have sweet memories of first smiles, words and steps. 

A few years later, we made the decision I would work a night job after he came home from his day job.  I know so many families who choose to work different shifts in order to give their children the best care possible and also save money in the meantime.  During a 3 year stint on a military base, in order to stay home with my children, I became a US Army child care provider.  We would have monthly visits from our directors and had to follow strict guidelines regarding schedules, feeding and also safety of the children. 

In reading the above story of the abuse of the Wisconsin Shares program, they wonder how the state is being bilked out of millions of dollars.  They wonder how they are going to fix the problem.  They state that they have no way to account if a parent is working a full time legitimate job or not.  Hey WISCONSIN SHARES PROGRAM, let me give you some ideas on how to fix this ongoing problem.  Just promise me you will give me 1% of your annual savings when you heed my advice.

I worked in the mortgage industry for years.  Prior to approving someone for a mortgage loan, we verified the income of the homeowner via a paystub and W2.  We also performed verifications of employment.  This entails either going on www.theworknumber.com or simply making a call to an employees Human Resources Department.  Sometimes Human Resources requires a signed authorization.  This form can become one of the required documents signed when a parent requests child care subsidy.

From this day forward, we desire that your organization will require each parent not only to sign the authorization but also fill out a time sheet signed by their employer as well.  The employer must be a business which requires them to have an EIN.  An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is also known as a Federal Tax Identification Number, and is used to identify a business entity.  This will assist in helping Wisconin Shares in identifying legible businesses as well.

Additionally, instead of allowing this "loophole" where family members are allowed to care for children, revise the law, as of today.  We as your taxpayers would also really appreciate it if you would hire new employees to stop by the day care centers where supposed parents are working as employees.  With so many individuals out of work, hiring persons to make simple phone calls or go online to verify employment is a piece of cake.  Better yet, I will print up a simple one page instructional and teach you how to to train these individuals in an hour or less.  If you take $250,000.00 out of your annual upcoming budget and apply it towards hiring new employees, you will save millions thus come out ahead in the long run.   The above suggestions will assist you in weeding out the fraudulent cases and get us back in line regarding our year end budget.   It is a crying shame that something hasn't been done sooner, but we are counting on you to make the necessary changes in order to ensure that this does not continue further.

I don't know about anyone else, but as for myself, I know I can sleep at night because I am an honest person.  I know that once in a while I wonder how my life could be just a little bit easier. I can hold my head up high knowing that although I am not perfect, I have done the right thing.  Without the trials I have been through I would not be who I am today. 

And, I like me.