Advocates in Kalispell on Monday pitched Democratic congressional candidate Monica Tranel on how she could help address a lack of affordable child care in the state, including cost sharing and tweaking federal grant requirements.  

Tranel was joined by Kalispell Chamber of Commerce members, Flathead Valley child care providers and state child care licensers for the roundtable discussion.  The gathering came with a little more than two weeks to go to Election Day, when Tranel will face off with Republican U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke for the second time for Montana’s first congressional district.  

“There does seem this sort of fundamental problem of always trying to throw money at the problem, when it's really the cost of everything,” Tranel told attendees. 

Tranel outlined the median finances for a family of four in the state to make her point. Each month, a household makes on average $4,600 after taxes, pays around $1,200 in rent and $1,600 in child care for two children, alongside $2,247 in transportation, food, health care and utility costs. The model leaves the family in a net negative of $850 a month. 

And that deficit is worse in Flathead County, added Kalispell Chamber President Lorraine Clarno, where average rent is much higher.  

One option that Clarno suggested to Tranel was what is known as the Kentucky model. This cost-sharing model splits the cost of child care three ways — between the state, the employer and the employee. The system, called the Employee Child Care Assistance Program, would be more effective than a federal solution, according to Clarno. 

“The federal tax credits are really not very applicable for the majority of businesses in the state of Montana, they’re not going to build facilities and that kind of thing,” Clarno said. 

Tranel suggested adjusting the federal tax credits to alter income requirements for grants and scholarship programs. Under the federal child care and development block grant, families do not qualify unless they have an income at or below 85% of the state median income.  

The median household income in 2022 dollars was $66,341, according to the United States Census. To qualify for the grant, a Montana family must bring in less than $56,390. Families have missed this requirement by sometimes only $10, according to employers.  

In December 2021, the Discover Kalispell Chamber completed a five-month Child Care Study and Action Plan, which found that parents struggle to afford child care while employers struggle to pay and retain providers. The following year, the chamber formed action teams to address the need for quality child care in Kalispell, including focus on outreach and advocacy, facilities, home child care and scholarships for early education studies.  

“The good news is we’ve increased lots, the bad news is affordability is still the primary issue,” Clarno said. “... [We] see it as an infrastructure issue. Just as our roads are important for folks to get to work, without child care they aren’t coming to work.” 

Gabe Mariman, a member of Kalispell’s child care action teams and owner of Bias Brewing, also voiced support for the Kentucky model, but worried the Legislature would fail to take action.  

“Affordable child care is integral to our economy and our community to function properly, and I think that unfortunately you see some dialogue in our Legislature that does not view this as an issue ... they don't even say this is a family problem, they say this a woman’s problem,” Mariman said.  

Local supporters have taken the idea to a few legislators, Clarno said. They deemed the concept no-go, she said. 

Mishael Jelley, owner of Flathead Childcare, expressed from a provider perspective how much families — and businesses — are struggling due to costs. Some families can’t afford to send their kids to Jelley’s business. To keep costs low, employee compensation must stay low.  

“I’m losing a lot, and my employees eat that,” Jelley said.  

The feedback loop affects the workforce as well. According to Mariman, he has struggled to hire employees for two main reasons: they either just can’t afford to live here or can’t afford child care.  

“Young families are leaving the area because they can’t afford to live here,” Clarno said.  

Changing the dialogue and understanding the importance of early childhood education, according to Tranel, is crucial to encouraging younger generations and is integral to a productive workforce and community.  

“It's not daycare, it's a community investment,” she said.  

Other attendees included a representative from Nomad Global Communication Solutions, employees of Immanuel Living, the owners of New Now Design and a representative of Flathead Valley Community College. 

Zinke currently has a 4.3% lead based on six polls, according to the Hill. The election is on Nov. 5.  

Reporter Kate Heston can be reached at kheston@dailyinterlake.com or 758-4459.

    Monica Tranel, Democratic candidate for Congress against Rep. Ryan Zinke, spoke to childcare advocates at a round table in Kalispell on Oct. 21, 2024. (Kate Heston/Daily Inter Lake)
 Kate Heston