SALT LAKE CITY — After facing sharp criticism over its decision to close four daycare centers through upcoming budget cuts, the Salt Lake County Council amended its plans slightly, voting to keep the affected centers funded through May.
The council voted 5-3 on Monday in favor of councilmember Aimee Winder Newton's motion to extend the funding for the county-run childcare centers in Magna, Kearns, Millcreek and the Fairpark neighborhood.
Emotions run high as parents face Salt Lake County Council over daycare center closures:
The council's original decision to slash the centers met immediate resistance from families whose children attend the locations. Several parents voiced their anger at the council and its plans during last week's meeting, during which some attendees were escorted out of the building.
With the extension, councilmembers said they hope it will give parents extra time to find alternatives for their children.
Those who opposed the extension, such as councilmember Suzanne Harrison, shared how there hadn't been a "good process" to find solutions that were "fiscally sustainable and viable" to keep the programs open longer than the May deadline. Councilmembers Ross Romero and Natalie Pinkney also voted against the extension.
