Moran on Universal Childcare in Massachusetts [OPINION]

Massachusetts currently ranks second in the country in childcare costs, clocking in at a whopping $20,913 per year and accounting for 22.7 percent of the median family income in the Commonwealth, according to the Economic Policy Institute. The exorbitant cost of infant care makes it a financially untenable proposition for 95 percent of Massachusetts households.

During a time when the COVID-19's economic fallout has had a particularly devastating impact on women, who have left the workforce in droves to assume greater childcare duties imposed on them by the pandemic, working-class families' access to childcare is not only desirable but necessary for a full economic recovery.

Enter Massachusetts Senator Susan Moran, who has recently co-sponsored and filed the Common Start legislation, an ambitious legislative package that seeks to allow access to fundamental childcare services for every family in the Commonwealth, provide much-needed relief to child care providers who are struggling mightily during the pandemic, and establishes other critical supports that will allow for greater economic opportunity for working-class households.

Sen. Moran won her seat for the Plymouth and Barnstable District in a special election in 2020 and was reelected in the fall. Since her election, she has hit the ground running as an effective advocate for her constituents and a champion for environmental preservation, education, and economic justice in Massachusetts.

Recently, Sen. Moran joined me on the show to discuss the details of the Common Start legislation and why it's so important. You can listen to the full conversation here:

Marcus Ferro is the host of The Marcus Ferro Show airing Saturdays on 1420 WBSM from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Contact him at marcusferrolaw@gmail.com. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.