While nearly everyone in Seattle feels the effects of the rapidly increasing cost of living, no one feels the pinch quite like working families. The lack of affordable housing pushes families further away from economic centers causing longer commutes and less time with family. The cost of childcare is like renting a 2nd home, and the availability of quality childcare facilities is woefully inadequate. Parents find themselves working longer and longer hours to provide for their kids, but have less and less disposable income at the end of the day. As a father of 3, I know first-hand that raising a family is a full time job. Every parent wants to provide the best for their children and many often make difficult sacrifices to do so. I am committed to building a city government that does whatever is possible to give you more time with your family and make it just a little easier give your kids everything they need. Here are some of my ideas to support the families of Seattle:
- Provide incentives to companies to offer on-site childcare for their employees
- Prioritize and expedite the construction of new childcare facilities in the permitting process
- Offer tax incentives and subsidies to companies that provide more opportunities for telecommuting
- Offer free portable cribs and educational materials on infant sleep safety to Seattle’s parents
- Partner with bike share companies to offer free service to minors with offsets from operating permit fees
- Develop and expand city subsidized after-school and summer activities programs
- Partner with local grocers to offer free delivery to working parents
- Partner with WSDOT & surrounding municipal/county governments to offer permits to working parents to use HOV and toll lanes at lower or no cost