Polling results have narrowed but remained consistent since the initial update on early voting results released Nov. 5.
Results thus far have indicated a majority voter-approval for a tax rate increase that would support additional affordable child care opportunities for families throughout Travis County.
Unofficial results as of 11:49 p.m. indicate the affordable child care measure has 59.65% of early votes for and 40.35% against.
Not all Travis County Election Day votes have been counted as of 11:32 p.m. Nov. 5.
All results are unofficial until canvassed.
Posted 7:25 p.m.
Travis County has announced early voting totals for Proposition A, a proposed tax rate increase aimed at expanding affordable child care options.
What you need to know
With Travis County voters weighing in on the potential tax hike, Prop A could be headed for passage this fall, based on early voting results released Nov. 5.
According to unofficial early voting results, the affordable child care measure had 60.04% of early votes for and 39.96% against, before any Election Day results were tallied.
All results are unofficial until canvassed. Visit communityimpact.com/voter-guide/election-results to see results from all local elections in your community.
The context
Travis County has some of the highest child care costs in the state. Today, the average cost for one child to attend daycare in the county is comparable with a year of tuition at The University of Texas at Austin, according to local officials.
The ballot item outlines a tax rate increase of $0.025 per $100 property valuation to support increased affordable child care opportunities, resulting in a hike to the average homeowner's tax bill by about $10.50 per month, or an estimated $126 annually, according to county documents.
County officials have emphasized plans for increased financial-assisted spots. The initiative is expected to create an estimated 9,800 additional child care opportunities for kids countywide by both increasing subsidy slots, and regular full-tuition after-school and nontraditional care slots.
What they’re saying
Jason Gindele, Chief Youth Development Officer at the Greater Austin YMCA—a major child care provider in Travis County—said the organization has seen a growing need for services among local families.
He explained that the lack of high-quality affordable child care causes a “ripple effect.”
“This is more than an investment in child care, right? It's an investment in our future, because the research shows that for every dollar that we invest in early childhood education, it yields up to $16 in societal return,” Gindele said. “... We all want to be careful about where our [tax] money is going, but when you look at it with a business lens, the return on investment is there for our entire community.”
A lack of state investment is one reason for the long wait lists for child care financial assistance in Travis County, said Cody Summerville, chief executive officer of advocacy group Texas Association for the Education of Young Children.
“One of the drivers of the waitlist, not just in Travis County but across the state, is that the state of Texas currently only invests what is the minimum requirement by the federal government into child care,” Summerville said.
Federal relief dollars initially helped stave off the economic hits for child care providers, Summerville said; however, pandemic funding expired at the end of 2023.
Currently, there are an estimated 5,000 children waitlisted for subsidy funding, according to Gindele.
“I'm happy that Travis County has stepped up to fill the gap, even though the gap that they are going to fill with this initiative is going to create about a few thousand early childhood slots," Gindele said. "The county won't solve it all, but it'll take a big chunk out of the issue that we're facing."
On the other hand
Many local property owners have voiced their concern with mounting tax bills.
Austin homeowner and parent Geno Gargas told Community Impact local tax increases are really starting to add up, saying it feels like getting “nickel and dimed” every year. He alluded to another hefty potential tax rate increase on this November's ballot proposed by Austin ISD.
“I personally wouldn’t support this tax increase... My wife and I have already made a large sacrifice,” Gargas said. “The choice after our first son was born, based on her income level, was we either pay for daycare or she stops working. The cost was pretty much the same.”
One last thing
In early voting, there were 480,364 ballots cast countywide, which represents 51.93% of Travis County's 925,685 voters.
Totals from ballots cast Nov. 5 have yet to be released. Polls closed at 7 p.m., although voters who were in line at 7 p.m. were still able to cast ballots.
As of 7:06 p.m., there were still 6 polling locations with over 50 minute waits.
