10/07/2026

N. WISCONSIN - Affordability is top of mind for Wisconsin voters as they head to polls next month, especially when it comes to childcare costs. A new poll by the 19th and You-Gov finds more than 50-percent of Americans think the federal government should spend more on childcare, including 60-percent of Gen Z voters, some of whom don’t yet have kids. Christy Felling with the First Five Years Fund says that’s because the issue extends well beyond parents, with childcare disruptions costing U-S businesses 70-billion-dollars each year.

                0:14  "It sets off a chain reaction. Parents have to cut hours or leave entirely, and it puts pressure on their coworkers. Companies see a drop in productivity, increased costs for recruitment and retention. That affects whole communities and really has an impact on young children."

Childcare's been a key issue in the closely divided race for Wisconsin governor as the state tries to confront rising costs, staffing shortages and childcare deserts. Both gubernatorial candidates David Crowley and Tom Tiffany agree Wisconsin’s childcare system needs more support, but each has different ideas about how to address the issue.