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Jeff Smith: “A program that is called Child Care Counts is coming to an…”

Featuring: Jeff Smith, Democratic | Wisconsin State Senate, District 31

Jeff Smith Show: Working for Wisconsin

Published July 10, 2025 | Video Starts at 12:54

And maybe you should share some of that information. I think that is, if it isn't already at the top of the list of great concerns. Right now it's rising really fast because A program that is called Child Care Counts is coming to an end at the end of this month. The funding for that came from the federal funding that we got through the Affordable Care, not the, the Recovery Act, American Recovery Act. So that money is dried up. (12:54–13:01)

CLAIM

Asserts that the Child Care Counts program is ending at the end of the month.

This is an excerpt from a raw transcript. The assertions have not been audited or verified. Tap the video to view the source footage and understand the context.

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Jeff Smith

“Up to 25% of our childcare centers around the state, whether it be small at home or larger centers, closed, and many, if not most of them…”
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“The joint finance Committee, once again controlled by the majority party, has actually removed [childcare funding] from the budget, along…”
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“The prediction is 25% more child care centers are going to close after this month if they don't have that funding.”
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“The average pay for somebody in a childcare center is only $13 an hour.”
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“90% of brain development occurs between birth and 5 years old.”
Jeff Smith Show: Working for Wisconsin | Uploaded July 10, 2025 | 17:21-17:26
“The Senate numbers changed last fall. Republicans are still in the majority, but it went from a 22 to 11 majority to an 18 to 15 number.”
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“The assembly went from 64 to 35, and now they're 44 to 55.”
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“Only nine of us served before 2011.”
Jeff Smith Show: Working for Wisconsin | Uploaded July 10, 2025 | 04:32-04:35
“For the last five to six years, the Senate has operated, unfortunately in this matter... the committee chairs, who are all Republican…”
Jeff Smith Show: Working for Wisconsin | Uploaded July 10, 2025 | 06:03-06:34
“We have not had in person, as I already said, executive hearings for up to almost six years now.”
Jeff Smith Show: Working for Wisconsin | Uploaded July 10, 2025 | 07:20-07:30
“We still vote on bills out of committee, but they just send a paper ballot to our office.”
Jeff Smith Show: Working for Wisconsin | Uploaded July 10, 2025 | 08:23-08:30
“The paper ballot? No.”
Jeff Smith Show: Working for Wisconsin | Uploaded July 10, 2025 | 08:51-08:51
“I have never heard anybody use that term [friendly amendment] since I've got come back into the Senate.”
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“In fact, it only comes to the floor because the majority party or the leaders know they have the votes to pass it.”
Jeff Smith Show: Working for Wisconsin | Uploaded July 10, 2025 | 10:29-10:36
“There's going to be more adjustments by the majority party to realize they are going to have to be far more open to having that kind of…”
Jeff Smith Show: Working for Wisconsin | Uploaded July 10, 2025 | 10:44-10:56
“This is why you have 132 legislators down there, you know, 33 in the Senate, 99 in the Assembly.”
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“The funding for that came from the federal funding that we got through the Affordable Care, not the, the Recovery Act, American Recovery…”
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“The governor did introduce $480 million into the budget proposal. He had to save that program to keep it going.”
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“There was a big change in shared revenue and legislation we passed last year and it was a boost.”
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“We haven't been doing what we should be doing from the state level, providing the resources needed for local government.”
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“The majority party decided to play games here with the governor in his veto pen. So they passed bills with no funding.”
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“PFAs, for instance, money is sitting in the Joint finance while we pass legislation for policy.”
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“The hospital policy bill of $15 million to help recovery of what happened in Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls [is stalled].”
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“They have constantly been passing policy and bills with no funding attached.”
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