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San Francisco to offer free childcare to people making up to $230k

theguardian.com

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Re: San Francisco to offer free childcare to people making up to $230k

#11

Post by rconti »

bsimpson wrote: post #6

That sounds like a good way to keep moms out of the workforce. I know a lot of couples who feel like the wife's job is a hobby, because after taxes it barely covers childcare (especially if you also value spending time with your kids). Free childcare could free those households up to decide which parent(s) work when. Instead, by capping it below a common dual income, it incentivizes the least earning parent to contin…

I don't follow. Wouldn't the high cost of childcare make couples less likely to have 2 incomes, because the lower-earning spouse is working for lower marginal pay, just to pay someone ELSE to provide child care?

Re: San Francisco to offer free childcare to people making up to $230k

#13

Post by jeltz »

rconti wrote: post #11
bsimpson wrote: post #6

That sounds like a good way to keep moms out of the workforce. I know a lot of couples who feel like the wife's job is a hobby, because after taxes it barely covers childcare (especially if you also value spending time with your kids). Free childcare could free those households up to decide which parent(s) work when. Instead, by capping it below a common dual income, it incentivizes the least earning parent to contin…

I don't follow. Wouldn't the high cost of childcare make couples less likely to have 2 incomes, because the lower-earning spouse is working for lower marginal pay, just to pay someone ELSE to provide child care?

I think he is talking about the threshold effects. E.g if one partner earns 200k then it could make more sense for the other to stay at home than to work and earn say 50k or 70k. The 50% subsidy above 230k reduces that issue but I would rather see no cap.

Re: San Francisco to offer free childcare to people making up to $230k

#17

Post by exitb »

bsimpson wrote: post #6

That sounds like a good way to keep moms out of the workforce. I know a lot of couples who feel like the wife's job is a hobby, because after taxes it barely covers childcare (especially if you also value spending time with your kids). Free childcare could free those households up to decide which parent(s) work when. Instead, by capping it below a common dual income, it incentivizes the least earning parent to contin…

You framed this issue in a certain way, but your position could be described as „lower earning families need to pay for childcare, so higher earning families keep producing two incomes”. Not so attractive anymore.

Re: San Francisco to offer free childcare to people making up to $230k

#20

Post by transcriptase »

bsimpson wrote: post #6

That sounds like a good way to keep moms out of the workforce. I know a lot of couples who feel like the wife's job is a hobby, because after taxes it barely covers childcare (especially if you also value spending time with your kids). Free childcare could free those households up to decide which parent(s) work when. Instead, by capping it below a common dual income, it incentivizes the least earning parent to contin…

So basically a return to what was the norm from ~300,000 years ago until 1975?

Sound the alarms.

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