Op-ed | Our city’s future depends on funding childcare—now

The fight for childcare in New York City is far from over, writes one Brooklyn City Council candidate.

By Maya Kornberg, Ph.D. | April 9, 2025

This week, I faced a dilemma all too familiar to working parents.

Our daycare did not have space for my son and I had an important in-person meeting where it would not be appropriate to bring my five-month-old. My partner and I are both fortunate enough to work and have access to parental leave. I work at a non-profit, my partner works as a teacher, and we rent an apartment in Park Slope. Even with all of our access and good fortune, childcare is draining our resources and raising questions about how we can afford to juggle everything and stay long-term in this neighborhood we love.

A big part of the affordability crisis for young families like mine is funding childcare. Many families have to spend over $30,000 a year for just one toddler. After several annual cuts to NYC’s 3-K and Pre-K programs, it is even more urgent to protect and expand these programs and fight for more and more accessible childcare in NYC.

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