To the Editor:
As a Representative in New Hampshire’s legislature, I hear from my neighbors every day about the challenges their families face. The time for us to elect a new president is fast approaching, and with this in mind, I believe no candidate is better qualified to address the concerns of the nation and New Hampshire than Elizabeth Warren.
I am endorsing Elizabeth for many reasons, but especially because of her Universal Child Care plan. Child care and education have always been important to me, and I know firsthand that the scarcity and cost of high-quality child care is a major problem here in New Hampshire. My family was lucky enough to find excellent and affordable care for my kids and to have extended family nearby; even so, the financial stress of having three kids in daycare at the same time was enormous. I know Elizabeth understands these challenges because she has also faced them. As a young mother, she also struggled to find quality care for her children and relied on family to pitch in so that she could keep working while also knowing her children were being cared for. Not every family is as lucky as mine and Elizabeth’s, and that’s where her plan comes in.
Under Elizabeth’s plan, families making less than 200 percent of the federal poverty line will have access to free child care, and families over that threshold will have access to affordable care capped at no more than 7 percent of their income. To ensure high quality, child care providers will adhere to universal guidelines and—importantly—will be compensated in line with what public school teachers make. Elizabeth believes, like I do, that childcare providers do critically important work and have valuable expertise, and their salaries should reflect that.
As a parent, I never want to give my children anything but the best chance for a bright future, and as a State Representative, I want the same thing for my constituents and our country. That is why I am endorsing Elizabeth Warren as the right leader for all of us.
Dr. Jacqueline Chretien
State Representative, Hillsborough District 42
