City Kids

The city of Mountain View is looking to get into the child-care businesss--sort of. Some city council members have proposed constructing a child care facility that would be leased to and run by a 'child-care operator'. The facility has been under study by the city for eight years--you heard that right--and construction costs are estimated to be $3.5 million dollars. When completed, the center would be expected to serve 104 children. The monthly cost per child is expected to amount to $1000, some of which would be provided by an annual subsidy from the city of $50,000. Although it hasn't been named, the city has chosen Children's Creative Learning Center as the operator.

In justifying the move councilman Michael Kasperzak says;

"If we have spent $13 million on a senior center to accommodate seniors in the community, I believe we can get involved to the tune of $3 million to accommodate children in the community."

Instead of questioning the wisdom of the senior center, as well as lowballing the costs of the child-care facility, the councilman uses it as a benchmark for spending greater amounts of money. Guided by such reasoning, and happily rewarded voters, councilman Kasperzak should feel unrestrained in providing services for a host of innovative services. Rather than questioning where government ends, Mountain View expands the concept of government. Can city run car washes be far behind? First, the eight year study.