Politics & Government

Tejada: Arlington Will Continue To Inspect, Train Child-Care Providers

Chairman announced the change to next year's proposed budget Tuesday night.

Arlington Board Chairman Walter Tejada announced Tuesday night that the county will continue to inspect child-care facilities and train child-care providers.

Tejada made the announcement at the beginning of a budget work session on the county's social safety net programs.

“The Board is committed to maintaining Arlington’s inspections of childcare facilities and training for providers,” Tejada said, reading from a prepared statement. “Although most localities in Virginia rely on the State alone to conduct inspections of childcare facilities, Arlington has, for more than 40 years, provided an extra layer of inspections and training for providers – and the Board is committed to continuing both of those elements.”

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Arlington's local child-care regulations are more strict than state guidelines.

County Manager Barbara Donnellan, in an attempt to balance next year's $1.1 billion budget, proposed eliminating the local regulations — which would have eliminated three positions and saved the county about $250,000.

Find out what's happening in Arlingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The proposal was met with public outcry.

Advocates said that absent local regulations, Arlington County would be engaged in a "race to the bottom" in terms of child care.

One woman told the board at a budget hearing that she had gathered 1,000 signatures opposing the move, which was mentioned in a Washington Post report on Monday.


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