Anchorage's Child Care Fund Faces $462K Shortfall

0:00It's April 2nd. Welcome in. This is Anchorage News Today, where local news meets AI. I'm Corey with the story. Anchorage is staring down a budget shortfall of nearly half a million dollars for its child care fund, all tied to a 5% cannabis tax boaters. Greenlit back in 2023 to support kids and families. That tax was supposed to bring in steady cash from pot sales, but nationwide trends show folks smoking less weed these days, especially in mature. Just like ours, tanking the projections big time. Think 4.8 million actual in 2025 versus the expected 5.9 million. Leaders like Christina Holquist from the fund are calling for cuts in 2026, dipping into 2024 surpluses to plug some holes. But they're still short, $462,000, forcing a pause on 400,000 in retention bonuses and 100,000 for new in-home daycares. The child care scene here is rough, a quarter of operator shut down since 2020, leaving 61%

1:04of Alaskans in child care deserts. So even with the squeeze, they're pushing forward with 1.75 million for educator subsidies, 2.4 million to boost wages, and access 2 million for pre-K and low-income schools, and more for pilots and upgrades. Meanwhile, the fund's board meets publicly on April 15th to hash out the 2027 budget, adapting to these shifting revenues while, keeping the focus on building back that vital support for families.