“No Child Left Behind, What About Mine?” shouted activists as they crashed Governor Ehrlich's $1,250 a plate fundraising dinner at the Hyatt Hotel. According to a Sunpaper report, $600,000 was raised for Governor Ehrlich’s campaign coffers at the June 3rd event.

ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) and American Home Day Care Workers Association (AHDCWA) organized the action to demand the restoration of $35 million of state budget cuts from government funded child care services.

Entering the back door of the Hyatt hotel, the protestors, mostly day care providers, rode the escalator upstairs and entered the room leading into the banquet hall where groups of Ehrlich supporters mingled while having pre-dinner drinks. The protesters walked peacefully, but noisily into the room. Several of the well-dressed men and women attending the fundraiser quickly left the area.


Holding banners and carrying paper plates, the demonstrators chanted “Have Some Guts, Stop the Cuts!” through the door into the banquet room. The guest of honor had apparently not yet arrived, but some groups of his supporters were already seated in the Hall. As a spokesman from the protestors attempted to address the group inside with a prepared statement, music was turned up loudly to drown out the message.

Two Sides to the Day Care Coin

During the Clinton era, regulations concerning welfare were changed. No longer were US tax dollars to go to parents who were capable of working. States passed regulations that limited the amount of time a parent could get assistance before becoming employed. If a welfare receipient didn't find work after a specified amount of time, they would lose their benefits.

To bridge the gap, parents newly working at low-paying jobs were to receive subsidies that would pay a portion of daycare costs. In Maryland, these Purchase of Care vouchers could be accessed by mothers needing help with daycare. According to the AHDCWA members, parents who get a job are no longer eligible for vouchers due to the budget cuts.

Based on estimates derived from the dollar amount of vouchers and the time a child attends daycare during a year, ACORN estimates that 10,000 children will lose access to affordable, adequate daycare.


Tiffany Lucas, AHDCWA member

AHDCWA member and daycare provider, Tiffany Lucas spoke of the parents unable to get vouchers. "There’s no way they can pay for daycare. So they quit the job, or they end up leaving their kids with a friend or family. Sometimes the kids are left alone." So much for the "safety net" that was touted in the 90's as the answer to welfare dependent parents.

On the flip side, home day care providers live in their own kind of financial bind. First they must subtract the number of their own children from the total allowed per home to equal no more than 8 children. According to Lucas, the small amount of money to be gleaned from providing day care adds up to $3-$4 per hour, and an 11-hour day for many providers.

“You can't live on that," she said. Affording health care, for example, is prohibitive. Several years ago, Lucas lost her health care when she could no longer afford her monthly premiums. When she became pregnant, she scrimped and saved to renew her insurance policy which required a down payment of $750. When she reapplied she was turned down for a pre-existing medical condition. Eventually, she was accepted into a state insurance program for low-income, pregnant women.

Because of the low pay Lucas said that many of the providers work another job to make ends meet. “Would you leave your child with someone knowing they worked that many hours? I wouldn’t,” she said.

ACORN and ADHCWA Flex Their Muscles

Asked if ACORN and AHDCWA organizing has made a difference, Lucas is emphatic. “I see where I’ve been involved for a year – more people are joining.” Before her involvement with ADHCWA, Lucas claims it could take months to get reimbursed for the vouchers. Her frequent telephone calls to the Purchase of Care office went unanswered. Now, when she calls the office, she states that she is a member of AHDCWA. “They call back in a matter of minutes. When it’s a concerted effort – there’s change. It’s worth the late nights, protests, making the posters. I know that the children are going to benefit."

According to Acorn organizer, Stuart Katzenberg, AHDCWA and ACORN had attempted to get a meeting with the Governor’s administration, but had been turned down. Finding the lack of dialogue unacceptable, the group decided to make their point through direct action. This led to a clash at a fundraising event on April 11th for Young Republicans at Ropewalk Tavern in Federal Hill that featured Lieutenant Governor Steele. There, Young Republicans faced off with protestors.

Reportedly, YR’s and bouncers physically pushed back demonstrators to keep them from entering the bar. According to one of the activists, attendees at the event yelled, “Your independence card won’t work here!” Others shouted, “Get a job.” AHDCWA organizer, Michelle Moore said the group found these words distasteful, as well as "classist and racist." The group has asked for apologies from the Republican administration, but so far have received no response.

The reception they received this time was more peaceful. Demonstrators were asked to leave and ushered from the building by security guards and police. Katzenberg rallied the group with his words, "We'll be back, this is not the end."

IMC reporters attempted to get a response from the Office of the Secretary of State and Governor Ehrlich's office about the budget cut's impact on child care. Phone calls were not returned.