February 8, 2010
The Honorable Phil Gordon
The Honorable Thelda Williams, District 1
The Honorable Peggy Neely, District 2
The Honorable Bill Gates, District 3
The Honorable Tom Simplot, District 4
The Honorable Claude Maddox, District 5
The Honorable Sal DiCiccio, District 6
The Honorable Michael Nowakowski, District 7
The Honorable Michael Johnson, District 8
200 West Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85003
Dear Mayor and City Council:
If the City of Phoenix is to be successful in attracting new jobs to the city, it cannot be known as a city that does not care about or care for its children. Employers, large and small, locate where their employees and employees’ families have the quality of life and services needed to support healthy families and healthy communities.
City funds spent on the PAC afterschool and summer programs are an investment in ensuring healthy children, healthy families and a healthy community. Research proves that high quality afterschool programs
- Positively impact children’s academic achievement
- Dropout rates among LA’s BEST afterschool participants were 20% lower than the overall district rate (UCLA Center for the Study of Evaluation, 2005)
- Keep kids safe and out of trouble
- The National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center reports that 49 percent of children NOT in afterschool programs are more likely to use drugs and 37% are more likely to become a teen parent
- Justice Quarterly notes that for each youth prevented from a life of crime, society saves between $1.5 and $1.8 million
- If only two Phoenix-area children were dissuaded from criminal behavior because of their involvement in the PAC program, the city would realize a return on their investment greater than the $2.6 million they are proposing to save by totally cutting the PAC programs for the Phoenix children and families most in need
- Support working families
- Parents with children in afterschool programs miss less work because they have the confidence that their children are being cared for in safe settings
- Are responsive to the unique needs of each child and family
Similarly, research shows that voters want greater investment in afterschool programs
- 3 in 4 voters say newly elected local, state and federal officials should increase funding for afterschool programs
- 94% of Democrats, 83% of Independents and 71% of Republicans agree there’s a need for organized activity or safe place for children and teens
- 76% of voters agree that afterschool programs are important to preparing youth to enter the workforce
- 76% of voters believe afterschool programs are important for helping youth state in school and address the dropout crisis in America.
In the past four years, budget cuts, fee increases, and detrimental program changes have resulted in
- a 38% cut in PAC sites from 89 total sites to the current 55 sites
- a decline in afterschool registration, and
- a diminution of program quality with all field trips excluded.
The city’s current budget proposal seeks to totally eliminate the PAC afterschool and summer programs relied upon by thousands of Phoenix’ poorest families and neediest of children. Where do you think these children will go? What options do you think their parents have? Approval of these cuts will put deserving children at risk, undermine families and further deter businesses from coming to Phoenix at a time when economic development is critical for surviving the recession and returning to economic growth.
The Arizona Center for Afterschool Excellence opposes the elimination of the PAC afterschool and summer programs and calls upon you, the mayor and council, to invest in our children and their families. We support the food tax as an interim measure for funding quality afterschool programs and encourage you to engage in serious and meaningful conversations with business and philanthropic leaders and community based organizations to see what we collectively need to do to ensure that Phoenix children are Ready by 21 --- ready for college, work and life. The future success of the city will be determined by whether our children stay in school, are prepared to meet 21st century work force needs and choose to remain in Phoenix rather than move to cities that provide the jobs and healthy environments they want for themselves and their children.
Sincerely,
Melanie W. McClintock
Executive Director