Hillsborough County after school program in financial trouble

Many years ago after-school child care was not an issue a county or metropolitan area had to address or fund. Making arrangements for your child/ren was your responsibility, not the county or the school system.

Hillsborough County has to cut back on the after school program that they have offered to parents in the past due to decreasing revenues. It is proposing to consolidate this program from forty parks to twelve.

This program costs eight million dollars to run. At its highest participation enrollment topped 6000 children. Today only 1800 children are enrolled and it continues to cost the county eight million dollars to operate and maintain.

While parents are required to pay up to $45.00 per week, there is a sliding scale for low income families. The average amount collected per child is $18.00, while the program costs more than $70.00 per child weekly.

This problem has a solution, but unfortunately it can never be.

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