Yesterday, April 9, 2026, DC Action and DC Fiscal Policy Institute, executive committee members of the Under 3 DC Coalition, released new public polling showing overwhelming support for early education investments and innovative tax solutions, with support cutting across race, geography, and family status. In stark contrast to Mayor Bowser’s fiscal year 2027 budget which proposes alarming child care cuts, voters are drawing a line. Even with the fiscal pressure and political uncertainty facing the District, DC voters have a decisive message for leaders: the District must fully fund its early education system—and that starts with protecting the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund and the Child Care Subsidy Program.
Nearly three-quarters of DC voters (72%) support fully funding the Child Care Subsidy Program, including 50% who strongly support it. Similarly, 69% support fully funding the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund, with 46% strongly in favor. Support for these programs held across every demographic group and ward in the city. Among Black voters, support is highest, with 77% favoring full funding of the subsidy program and 73% backing the Pay Equity Fund.
Potentially more notably, however, more than 8 in 10 voters (82%) say they would be concerned about the exact cuts Mayor Bowser announced today to early educator pay, including 58% who would be very concerned about cuts. A similarly large share (68%) would be concerned about her cuts to child care assistance. And this concern isn’t limited to parents. Voters without direct child care needs still overwhelmingly oppose cuts, reinforcing that child care is broadly understood as critical economic infrastructure.
Further, the poll shows that maintaining stable funding for these programs is one of the most important things the District can do right now. Again the poll found that more than 8 in 10 voters (82%) say maintaining funding for fair pay for early educators is important, including 66% who say it is very important. Additionally, 73% say maintaining funding for child care assistance is important in DC’s budget.
Among parents of young children under age 13, roughly 9 in 10 say maintaining funding for these programs is important, with 69% saying it’s a big priority to them for the DC government to bring down child care costs and 59% saying raising wages for early educators should be a big priority for the DC government.
These poll results reflect a fundamental shift in how voters view public investments in child care. Contrary to the FY27 framing and funding choices put forth by Mayor Bowser today, voters do not see early education investments as optional or secondary—they are viewed as essential services that must be protected, even in tight budget times.
Why These Programs Matter So Much
The strong voter support for both programs is rooted in lived experience.
Typical tuition for child care in DC exceeds $2,000 per month per child—more than what many families pay for housing. At the same time, voters know that without the Pay Equity Fund early educators have faced persistently low wages, despite doing difficult and skilled work that is foundational to children’s development and parents’ ability to work.
Voters understand that the Child Care Subsidy Program and the Pay Equity Fund are two sides of the same coin that strengthen and sustain the District’s early education system: the subsidy program makes child care affordable while the Pay Equity Fund makes sure educators are compensated such that they can deliver the high quality educational care every child requires to grow and thrive.
Undermining either one would destabilize the entire system—and voters know it.
Willingness to Pay for What Matters
Thinking ahead to brighter financial prospects for the District, DC voters are asking elected leaders to go further than simply maintaining or restoring the status quo.
Nearly three-quarters (74%) support increasing public investments in child care to ensure no family pays more than 7% of their income on care—a widely recognized affordability benchmark. This aligns directly with strong support for the subsidy program: voters want it not only preserved, but strengthened and fully funded to meet the scale of need.
Crucially, voters recognize that these investments require substantial and reliable funding—and they are ready to support revenue solutions. Roughly three-quarters of voters polled favor raising taxes on the wealthiest residents, including:
- 73% support increasing taxes on passive income from investments
- 76% support taxing the wealth of the top 5% of households
There is also strong support (74%) for a business activity tax when voters understand it would close loopholes and generate significant revenue for child care and other programs that support the public good.
The message is clear: DC voters oppose child care cuts, prioritize increasing investments, and are willing to raise revenue to pay to preserve the District’s strong early childhood education system—especially when the funding strategies are well targeted to create a fairer and more resilient tax base.
By eliminating the Pay Equity Fund and severely underfunding the Child Care Subsidy Program, again, Mayor Bowser’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2027 chooses to let early childhood educators and low income families pay for the consequences of so-called “difficult budget decisions” but the DC Council can make a different choice–and these poll results demonstrate a clear mandate to choose instead to invest in children, families, and educators. Over the next 70 days the Council must do the hard but necessary work voters are expecting: protect these programs, strengthen them, and treat child care as the essential infrastructure it is.