In a recent Delaware Gazette column, Steve Stivers, president and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, wrote about the urgent need for Ohio lawmakers to address the child care crisis facing Ohio’s parents. He argued that Ohio’s booming economy will suffer if more isn’t done soon.

Stivers writes, “While there is much to be proud of in Ohio, the state and its policymakers must also focus on laying the foundation for continued investment and creating economic growth. When we canvass our members on their greatest challenges, the universal response continues to be workforce. We recognize that to have a qualified, reliable and thriving base of employees, any discussion of workforce must also include access to transportation, affordable housing and perhaps the single biggest throttle to employment entry or re-entry, childcare.”

He details the most pressing issues threatening Ohio’s economy and exacerbating the child care crisis which include childcare costs, that on average, are higher than what they pay in rent, Ohio’s last place ranking in child care subsidies, and the fact that 39% of Ohioans lived in a childcare “desert,”

Stivers highlighted the possible solutions detailed in the Ohio Chamber of Commerce’s Blueprint for Ohio’s Economic Future. He pressed lawmakers to appropriate more funding to raise the eligibility threshold for publicly funded childcare  and to offer state tax credits for families’ childcare spending. He also suggested legislation that would increase the number of children that in-home providers in rural areas can care for without needing a Type A license.

Ohio Democratic lawmakers have proposed several bills that would address the issues highlighted by Stivers; however, the legislation is still on hold and Republicans have been hesitant to approve any further funding.