As published in The Detroit News on Aug. 19:

For many Michigan families with young children, daycare can cost as much as a second mortgage. 

In some cases, parents are making difficult decisions about whether it makes financial sense to work at all. That is not the kind of choice any parent should have to make. 

As a father, grandfather and representative of working families throughout Calhoun County, I believe that our state budget is an opportunity to take real steps to ensure Michigan is a place where families can build a future. That’s why I was proud to help pass a fiscal year 2027 state budget that makes meaningful investments in Michigan families with young children. 

The bipartisan budget signed into law provides $30 million to expand access to high-quality early education opportunities through the Great Start Readiness Program, bringing the state’s total investment to $96.1 million in the program. It also creates a new childcare fund with a $5 million ongoing investment to help families access the care they need. 

I’m most proud of the work we did to protect Michigan’s youngest and most vulnerable children. We increase funding for Early On services, connecting families of infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities to the social services they need during their most important years of development. 

For families who qualify, the changes in this budget mean an average savings of $14,000 a year in childcare costs, allowing moms and dads to get ahead on a car payment, alleviate their rising grocery costs and start a nest egg for their child’s future. It ensures parents can provide a better life for their children instead of cutting their working hours because childcare costs are too high. 

These investments do more than just respond to the needs of parents, however. They recognize that helping a child succeed starts long before kindergarten. Families deserve the chance to build a good life here in Michigan, and childcare costs should not deprive them of that chance. 

If we want Michigan to have a strong, talented workforce, if we want young families to stay in our communities and if we want our state to grow, we need to make it possible for parents to work while raising kids. That starts by treating childcare and early learning as an investment in Michigan’s future. 

These targeted investments achieve that. They help make childcare more affordable while ensuring young children receive quality care and education. It shows that our state is committed to delivering real solutions for parents working to make ends meet and for kids whose futures depend on the decisions we make today. 

I am proud of the work we did to pass this budget because I believe in Michigan’s future, and that starts by investing in families and removing barriers they face.

State Rep. Steve Frisbie, R-Pennfield Township, represents Michigan’s 44th House District.