Joint Initiatives pitches ballot option to close 15,000–16,000 childcare-spot gap

Sherry Lynn Boyle, CEO of Joint Initiatives for Youth and Families, told City Council on Nov. 24 that El Paso County faces a large shortage of licensed childcare spots and urged dialogue about a potential ballot measure to create funding and policy tools. Boyle said the county has "48,000" children under 6 and cited a county total of 18,308 licensed childcare spots, leaving a gap she estimated at about 15,000–16,000 spots if demand is assumed at 70% of families.

Boyle said costs are rising: she referenced a local average childcare cost previously cited at $16,333 and said "now it's gone up to about $20,000," with a statewide average near $22,000. She said childcare workers earn about $29,000 on average ("about $14 an hour"), and argued those economics make building or renovating childcare places difficult without targeted investment or regulatory relief.

The presentation linked childcare shortages to workforce and public-safety outcomes. Boyle cited UCCS economic forum findings that employers report childcare impacts on attendance and productivity and said local studies estimate substantial economic losses where childcare is unavailable. Council members echoed personal experiences and stressed impacts on military families, noting that many Fort Carson soldiers live off base and depend on community childcare.

On funding and policy options, Boyle said the initiative is exploring four primary approaches: capital grants for constructing or renovating centers; regulatory and zoning changes to reduce construction and operating cost barriers; investments in workforce supports (stipends, professional development and hiring incentives); and emergency tuition assistance/parent navigation services. She said draft ballot language exists and that the initiative plans polling in January to test messages and funding uses, and invited council feedback.

Council questions focused on zoning and code conflicts, state-level legislation under discussion with selected senators, timeline for polling and ballot placement, and how revenue would be deployed geographically and by program. Boyle said the group will share draft language with council and expects more detailed public polling in January. No council vote was taken at the work session.