During a town hall event, Mother Forward, an advocacy group for affordable childcare and paid leave, questioned candidates for local and federal office. The event was held by the group in Steubenville and focused on the issues concerning childcare and paid leave. Candidates in attendance included Michael Kripchak and Iva “Ari Faber, both running as Democratic candidates for the US House of Representatives District 6, and Ohio Senate District 30 respectively. They discussed the condition of childcare and paid leave in Ohio and countrywide and made known how their policies would assist families and mothers.

During the discussion, both Kripchak and Faber showed support for a federally funded childcare system and a federally mandated paid parental leave. When asked about the rising childcare costs, both candidates pointed to tax credits and other mechanisms to create financial relief for parents. Additionally, when confronted about the decrease in childcare workers, Kripchak highlighted the issue of the unequal distribution of school funds. Faber, on the other hand, proposed raising Ohio’s minimum wage to $15 and supporting childcare employees’ rights for collective bargaining.

The inadequacy of funding towards Ohio public schools was also a concern discussed in the town hall. In response, Kripchak emphasized that Ohio Legislature has turned a blind eye on the issue, while Faber suggested that another tax system could help remedy the issue. In terms of prioritizing education over private profit, both candidates agreed that more support should be provided to small, local childcare businesses. Lastly, both Kripchak and Faber agreed with Senator Brown’s push for 12 weeks paid family leave. Faber even proposed that this could be further supplemented with additional paid leave.

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