Gov. Tim Walz (D), Sen. Rob Kupec (D-Moorhead)
MOORHEAD (KFGO) – Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was in Moorhead Friday to discuss childcare and tour the city’s flood mitigation infrastructure.
Walz hosted a discussion on childcare with local community leaders, childcare providers, and parents Friday morning. The focus was on how to address the issues plaguing that sector.
“How do we provide good, quality childcare to families in different settings – whether that is a childcare center setting (or) whether it is a home setting,” Walz asked. “More importantly, how do we address the issue that we’re really seeing in two industries – childcare and long-term care.”
Nicole Flick was part of the panel. She owns ABC123 Child Enrichment Center and said part of the problem is low pay in the industry, making it an unattractive field to to build a career in.
“This is a career. They have to have the passion like I do – like we do,” Flick said. “That doesn’t exist anymore. People don’t go to college for early childhood education because the pay is so low. Until we fix that problem, we won’t have a workforce.”
Flick said adding to the problem is that many parents can’t afford childcare.
Walz said by the end of the session in May, he hopes there will be bills passed addressing financial issues, like child tax credits and family medical leave.
Sen. Rob Kupec, Mayor Shelly Carlson, and Minnesota Department of Revenue Commissioner Paul Marquart joined Walz at the Moorhead Library for the event.
Kupec and Carlson also joined Walz for a tour of Moorhead’s flood mitigation infrastructure and discussed additional proposed improvements which would be funded by Walz’s Infrastructure Plan.
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