Jessica, a single mom, has lived in Wallingford her whole life and, like Macauley, also went through the Wallingford public school system. Macauley just turned 11 in May and will be starting Moran Middle School. For fun they love to bake together, go to the beach and the movies or just hang out at home with their black cat, Iggy! Macauley has a nice group of friends who he plays sports with; he is also big into video games.
Here Jessica weighs in about how she feels about some of the results of this past legislative session:
School has just ended and Macauley is very excited for summer break! He will be attending two weeks of summer camp in July at Cuno Camp in Meriden. He will also hopefully be registering for lacrosse camp, but we haven’t decided yet. It’s a big financial decision.
Personally, I would have used the proposed CT Child Tax Credit money for camp. The camp my son is registered for is $190 per week. This could have helped us out a great deal and perhaps he could have attended for an additional week. Without day camp in the summer, I would have to ask my mom or friends to care for Macauley, as I work full time during the day. People have their own plans in the summer, so it’s not always practical to rely on other people, especially when you can’t afford to pay them.
Unfortunately, this past year we did not qualify for reduced price school meals – my salary is now too high. Macauley’s school used an app to add money for lunch/snacks. I did add money to his account from time to time, but for the most part we packed lunch and snacks from home. I know many families who are affected by the cost of school lunches, and it is very unfortunate that more people weren’t able to qualify and will be deeply affected by the elimination of free school meals. Thankfully, the PTO at my son’s school is able to assist families with the cost of field trips throughout the year to relieve some of that financial burden for families.
I am thankful for the expanded EITC that will be provided to me during tax time. The additional $250 will go towards my credit card payment this year, which is most likely what I will continue to use it towards in the future.
The early childhood education investment will be amazing for families with young children. It’s definitely something that I would have appreciated as a single mother trying to make ends meet. I’m forever grateful that Macauley was chosen via a lottery system for all day pre-K 3 and 4, which was free through the public-school system in Wallingford. Everyone deserves affordable child care.
On the professional side, I know there was an increase in funding for community nonprofits, but we clearly need more. I work for Kuhn Employment Opportunities in Meriden, which is a day and work program for people with disabilities. We are severely underfunded, and staff have not seen meaningful cost of living increases in a very long time.
My son also plays lacrosse for the Wallingford Tritons, which is a nonprofit league. The cost of coaches, referees, field space, etc. all adds up, which increases the registration costs for parents. Fortunately, I have qualified for scholarships through Wallingford Youth & Social Services in the past that helped alleviate some of the cost of sports sign-ups and equipment for Macauley. However, that is not always guaranteed, as a growing number of families are applying for these types of scholarships.