Several communities and states have proposed ballot measures that will provide voters with the opportunity to influence funding for early childhood, children, and youth this November. Voters in five cities and counties will decide whether to establish voter-approved children’s funds in their communities: Travis County, TX; Sonoma County, CA; Platte County, MO; St. Paul, MN; and Pomona, CA. If passed, these five measures alone would dedicate up to $153.8 million to child care, preschool, child and youth mental health support, out-of-school time programs, and support services for older youth. At the state level, Children’s Funding Project also is watching three very different ballot initiatives that each have the potential to greatly impact funding for children and youth in different ways.

Before we jump into the measures on this November’s ballot, we want to congratulate two successful renewals that passed earlier this year! In August, the Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage in Kent County, MI, first established by voters in 2018, was successfully reauthorized for an additional six years. Meanwhile, voters in Leelanau, MI, reauthorized their Early Childhood Development Millage in August with 63% of the vote (after originally passing by only 100 votes in 2019). We hope these two wins set the stage for more success stories this November!

Local Voter-Approved Children’s Fund Measures

Travis County, TX

Ballot Measure: Travis County Proposition A
Campaign Website: https://www.affordablechildcaretoday.com
Projected Revenue: more than $75 million annually
What It Will Fund: Increased access to affordable and high-quality child care, after-school and summer programming, and related services for low-income families.

Travis County Proposition A proposes to increase the property tax by 2.5 cents per $100 of property value and dedicate the new revenue to expanding availability of child care slots, providing child care scholarships for children from low-income families, and support access to out-of-school time opportunities for school-age children and youth. If voters pass the proposition on November 5, revenue will be used to provide child care slots to roughly 1,900 infants and toddlers from low-income families (those who earn up to 85% of the median income in Travis County) and create nearly 3,900 after-school and summer program opportunities for elementary-age children.

In 2022, Austin City Council Member Alison Alter and United Way for Greater Austin engaged Children’s Funding Project to explore viable pathways to secure dedicated public revenue for children and youth. Affordable Child Care Now—a broad coalition of Travis County civic organizations, businesses, and community members convened by United Way for Greater Austin—formed to lead the advocacy campaign that resulted in ballot placement for Proposition A. According to Affordable Child Care Now, “more than 4,300 children are on a two-year waiting list for state child care subsidies. Data shows that Austin/Travis County suffers from acute child care supply shortages for both traditional care and for nontraditional hours (outside the 7:00 am to 5:00 pm weekday window). Investing in child care will increase the number of children with a safe, healthy, consistent and enriching child care setting.” The tax increase would cost property owners just over $10 per month (for a home of average property value in Travis County, about $500,000) to provide thousands of children with high-quality care and learning opportunities.

Sonoma County, CA

Ballot Measure: Measure I—Sonoma County Child Care and Children’s Health Initiative
Campaign Website: https://www.yesoniforkids.com
Projected Revenue: $30 million annually
What It Will Fund: Wages for child care employees, expansion of the local child care network, pediatric screening and treatment, and other early childhood services.

In January, the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters Office certified that petitions submitted by the Our Kids Our Future campaign met the requirement of 19,758 signatures needed to place a ¼ cent sales tax increase on the November 2024 ballot. If approved, the Sonoma County Child Care and Children’s Health Initiative will generate approximately $30 million annually dedicated to early childhood education and health. Specifically, 60% of the new revenue generated annually will be allocated to increase access to high-quality child care, preschool, and early education services; improve wages and compensation for child care providers and early educators; and expand and improve new and existing child care facilities. The remaining 40% of annual revenue will be dedicated to expanding access to services that address children’s health issues such as healthy brain development and mental health programs, and to support families with children ages 0-5 who are experiencing homelessness.

Our Kids Our Future launched this campaign to respond to the lack of early childhood care, health, and education services in Sonoma County, which was exacerbated by the closure of 50% of local child care slots during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the campaign, early childhood outcomes have followed a six-year downward trend and currently “less than 20% of children entering kindergarten are fully prepared to be successful in school.” Approval of Measure I will provide an immediate investment to reverse this trend and improve outcomes for children, families, and the community.

St. Paul, MN

Ballot Measure: City Question 1—Saint Paul Early Care and Learning Referendum
Campaign Website: https://www.saintpaulfamilies.org
Projected Revenue: $2 million (year one) increasing to $20 million (year 10)
What It Will Fund: Fully cover tuition costs for child care and early education for families earning 185% of the federal poverty level or less, prioritizing infants in year one, and expanding to toddlers and preschool-aged children as revenue increases each year. Families earning more than 185% of the federal poverty level will be eligible to receive tuition credits, on a sliding scale, as funding becomes available.

In 2022, St. Paul City Council established an Early Learning Legislative Advisory Committee to explore the potential of a city program to address equity and access gaps in local early childhood education. In response to the committee’s recommendation, the city council passed a resolution in July 2023 to ask voters to approve a property tax levy to support early care and education for low-income families. While Mayor Melvin Carter vetoed the resolution, the council voted to overturn the veto in August with a 5-2 majority, securing ballot placement for the November 2024 election.

The St. Paul Early Care and Learning Referendum would increase property taxes by 0.006% each year for the next 10 years, raising a projected $2 million in year one and $20 million by year 10. After year 10, the fund would sunset and voters would need to reapprove it. The St. Paul Early Childhood Plan dictates that city funds would be used to supplement existing funding sources and cover tuition costs for child care and early education after funds available to families from state and federal programs are exhausted. Funds would be available to all St. Paul residents with eligible children attending a child care or early education program within St. Paul city limits. In year one, priority will be given to child care for infants (ages 0-1), followed by toddlers (ages 1-2) in year two, children (ages 2-3) in year three, and preschool costs for 3- and 4-year-old children in year four.

According to Yes for St. Paul Families, the campaign supporting the referendum, more than 50% of St. Paul children live in households that earn less than 185% of the federal poverty level. Meanwhile, inadequate state and federal funding leave hundreds of children on waitlists for child care annually. Approval of the referendum this fall “will make it easier for all families to find the best learning environment for their children and provide a pathway for 7,000 families to early learning programs and stable child care,” according to Yes for St. Paul Families.

Pomona, CA

Ballot Measure: Measure Y—Pomona Kids First Initiative
Campaign Website: https://www.pomonakidsfirst.com
Projected Revenue: Up to $20 million annually
What It Will Fund: Public and community-based programs and services that support children (ages 0-12), youth (ages 13-17), and transition-aged young adults (ages 18-24).

Measure Y is distinct from other measures on the ballot because it does not levy a new tax as its revenue source. Rather, the measure calls for the city to set aside a portion of its existing unrestricted general purpose revenue. The set-aside would begin at 2% of this revenue in year one, increase to 5% in year two, and continue to increase by 1% each year until 10% of Pomona’s unrestricted general purpose revenue is dedicated to the fund. The measure calls for the city to create a new Department of Children and Youth tasked with administering the fund. This department would allocate funding to organizations providing community programs and services to three priority populations: (1) children from birth to age 12; (2) youth ages 13 to 17; and (3) disconnected and/or transition-aged young adults ages 18 to 24 who are most impacted by harm, inequity, and lack of access to support and services.   

The Pomona Kids First Initiative is the result of advocacy led by “young people in the City of Pomona who grew up in Pomona and have been disillusioned by the underinvestment in children, youth, and families in our city,” according to the campaign’s website. “Measure Y will combat the continuing legacy of systemic racism and the damaging effects of the pandemic by establishing a sustainable funding stream that will address the structural and environmental conditions that drive harmful behavior in children, youth, and families; supplement rather than supplant existing funding or programs; and form coalitions among public agencies and community nonprofit organizations dedicated to supporting children and youth,” the campaign added.

Platte County, MO

Ballot Measure: County Question—Platte County Children’s Services Fund
Campaign Website: https://www.plattecounty4kids.com
Projected Revenue: $5.2 million annually
What It Will Fund: Establishes the Platte County Children’s Services Fund to support mental health services for children and youth.

After Platte County Commissioners refused to act to address a critical deficiency of mental health services available to local children and youth, Platte County 4 Kids—a coalition of nonprofit mental health organizations and community leaders—turned to county residents for support. The coalition collected more than 8,000 signatures in just six weeks, well over the 4,571 required to allow voters to decide the issue. Platte County Board of Elections initially declined to place the initiative on the ballot, claiming that approval from commissioners was needed. However, on August 23—just four days before the deadline for placing the measure on November’s ballot—Circuit Court Judge Megan Benton issued a court order directing election officials to place the measure on the ballot.  

The levy calls for a ¼ cent sales tax increase to establish the Platte County Children’s Services Fund. The new fund would help the county address growing mental health needs for children and youth. Revenue will increase child and youth access to critical mental health resources identified as priorities by the coalition, including early childhood screening, prevention, and treatment services; therapist and social worker support; and prevention and resiliency-based services in schools and child care centers.     

Missouri statute authorizes counties to levy a sales or property tax to establish a Children’s Services Fund to provide supportive services to children and youth, aligned with nine mental health-focused categories. The fund would be administered by a nine member volunteer board, appointed by county commissioners. If approved, the Platte County Children’s Services fund would become the 11th fund established in the state.

Other Local Initiatives and Statewide Ballot Measures

Santa Cruz, CA

Ballot Measure Title: Measure Z
Campaign Website: https://www.safehealthysantacruz.org
Projected Revenue: $1.3 million annually
What It Will Fund: Increased general fund revenue to fund community priorities, as determined by the recommendations of a community oversight panel. Possible priorities the revenue could support include resources for youth mental health; health initiatives; expanding programs for children and seniors; and improving and maintaining neighborhood parks, beaches, and open spaces.

Santa Cruz City Council Members Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson and Martine Watkins have spearheaded an effort to pass a $0.02 per ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages to support a healthy community and invest in vital city services. While revenue would go to the city’s general fund, a community advisory board of individuals from youth-serving organizations, parks and recreation services, and health and education sectors will guide funding priorities. Advocates behind the measure initially hoped to dedicate the revenue to the city’s existing children’s fund; however, state law would require two-thirds of voters to vote in favor of the issue to pass since the measure was placed on the ballot by the Santa Cruz City Council rather than through a signature petition. Reaching the two-thirds majority vote would be a high bar to overcome despite strong support for the measure. Nonetheless, supporters anticipate a significant portion of the new revenue would be used to support children and youth.

Measure Z advocates believe that strong support for the tax could be used to make the case to overturn existing state preemption legislation to allow the use of sugar-sweetened beverage taxes as a future dedicated revenue source for children and youth. The campaign faces well-funded opposition from the beverage industry.

Washington State

Let’s Go Washington, a political action committee founded by hedge fund manager Brian Heywood, is leading the campaign in support of Washington Initiative 2109. The initiative seeks to repeal the 7% capital gains tax imposed on the sale of financial assets (like stocks or bonds) when the profit from the sale exceeds $250,000. The tax was initially approved by the state legislature in 2021 and was upheld by the Washington Supreme Court after a lengthy legal battle in 2023. The state received nearly $900 million in 2023, the first year the tax was collected. The first $500 million in tax revenue collected annually is earmarked for child care and education programs with additional revenue dedicated to a school construction fund. If approved, Initiative 2109 would eliminate hundreds of millions of dollars dedicated to children and families in Washington.

Colorado

Colorado Proposition KK asks voters to approve the levy of a 6.5% excise tax on firearms and ammunition manufacturing and sales. If passed, the tax is expected to generate $35.8 million in 2025-2026, $3 million of which would be dedicated to children’s behavioral health crisis response services.

North Dakota

North Dakota Initiated Measure 4 is a proposed constitutional amendment that would prohibit both the state government and local taxing authorities from collecting property taxes. The measure would cost the state an estimated $1.3 billion and severely limit local jurisdictions’ abilities to provide critical services to residents. If successful, Measure 4 would have a devastating effect on all North Dakota residents, disproportionately impacting children and families most in need of support.

Dan Whitaker is a senior policy associate and Olivia Allen is co-founder and vice president of strategy and advocacy at Children’s Funding Project.

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