I think I would like to see that the $1,200 be used as an incentive for parents to go to a regulated setting.
There are still too many parents who are uneducated in day care, and sometimes they make the wrong choices based on cost. So I think if we are starting to supplement their day care costs, let's move them towards a regulated, licensed setting.
Again, is it fair to double supplement somebody whose day care is already being paid for? There should be an incentive for people to use licensed care.
Also, the federal tax credit for day care isn't enough any more. With average day care costs upwards of $200 a week, it's lagging behind.