Arizona Early Childhood Alliance hosts legislative day at Capitol
Submitted photo/Stand for Children
Early childhood advocates, parents and providers gather in front of the Arizona Capitol during Early Childhood Day, where more than 300 attendees called on lawmakers to expand child care funding, close tobacco tax loopholes supporting early learning programs and create a state child tax credit.
Submitted photo/Stand for Children
Early childhood advocates, parents and providers gather in front of the Arizona Capitol during Early Childhood Day, where more than 300 attendees called on lawmakers to expand child care funding, close tobacco tax loopholes supporting early learning programs and create a state child tax credit.
Submitted photo/Stand for Children
Parents and providers gather in front of the Arizona Capitol during Early Childhood Day.
Submitted photo/Stand for Children
Participants traveled from across Arizona to meet with lawmakers and highlight the growing need for investments in child care access.
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The Issue:
Advocates from across Arizona are urging lawmakers to increase investment in affordable child care and early childhood programs as rising costs and shrinking funding streams put pressure on working families and providers statewide.
The Stats:
More than 300 attendees gathered at the Arizona Capitol for Early Childhood Day, while the state’s child care subsidy waitlist has climbed to more than 11,000 children. Revenue from the tobacco tax that supports First Things First has dropped nearly $70 million since its inception, and child care costs rose in 2024 at more than three times the rate of inflation. Arizona also ranks as the 20th most expensive state in which to raise a child.
The Solution:
Advocates are calling for expanded child care subsidies, closure of tobacco tax loopholes that affect early childhood funding, and creation of a state-level child tax credit to help stabilize families and strengthen Arizona’s early learning system.
More than 300 early childhood advocates, parents, providers and community leaders gathered at the Arizona Capitol for Early Childhood Day, organized by the Arizona Early Childhood Alliance, to push for expanded support for the state’s youngest residents.
Rebecca Gau, executive director of Stand for Children Arizona, said Early Childhood Day is intended to highlight both the economic and educational impact of early learning investments.
Research shows that access to high-quality early childhood programs improves kindergarten readiness, supports workforce participation and strengthens long-term economic outcomes.
Participants traveled from across Arizona to meet with lawmakers and highlight the growing need for investments in child care access, early learning programs and family financial supports. The event focused on three primary priorities: increasing funding for child care subsidies, closing tobacco tax loopholes that affect early childhood funding and establishing a state-level child tax credit.
“Arizona Early Childhood Day at the Capitol 2026 was a powerful day of advocacy,” the University of Arizona Early Childhood program wrote in an Instagram post. “Twenty-six of our ECE students and faculty showed up strong, meeting with more than a dozen representatives and legislators to advocate for increased funding for young children and the early childhood workforce.”
“We also talked about HB 4032, a bill that would increase early childhood education funding through a vaping tax,” the post continued. “Policy matters. Advocacy matters. And our future teachers are already using their voices to champion Arizona’s youngest learners.”
Fewer smokers mean fewer funds
Advocates say the push comes at a critical time for Arizona families and providers facing rising costs and limited access to affordable care. The state’s child care subsidy waitlist now exceeds 11,000 children, leaving many families without reliable options as they attempt to work or attend school.
At the same time, funding for First Things First, Arizona’s voter-approved early childhood initiative supported by tobacco tax revenue, has declined significantly. Since its inception, revenue has dropped by nearly $70 million due in part to changes in tobacco purchasing patterns and tax structures.
“Arizonans are smoking less. But that’s not a good thing, at least as far as early childhood development is concerned,” the Arizona Capitol Times, part of State Affairs Arizona, posted on X.
Arizona ranked 26th most expensive state to raise a child
Cost pressures continue to mount for families. In 2025, Arizona ranked 26th most expensive state in the U.S. for raising a child, based on the additional annual income required to support one child under five, according to a report from AZBigMedia.
Child care costs continues to raise — outpacing inflation by more than three times, according to economic data cited during the event.
Supporters of expanded early childhood investment say public sentiment is aligned with policy proposals. A 2026 statewide voter survey by Stand for Children Arizona found majority support for increasing affordable child care funding, closing tobacco tax loopholes that impact early childhood programs and establishing a state-level child tax credit.
“Investing in Arizona’s youngest residents is imperative,” said Gau. “I hope our legislature will listen to the hundreds of Arizonans from all corners of the state who traveled to the Capitol today. Arizona’s working families deserve our support.”
Advocates plan to continue meeting with lawmakers throughout the legislative session, emphasizing that stable early childhood funding and family supports are essential to Arizona’s workforce and long-term economic growth.
Editor’s note: A grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation made this story possible. The foundation awarded 15 newsrooms to pay for solutions-focused education reporters for two years. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
Meet Stacy Stacy Mantle is joining the team at Independent Newsmedia, Inc. as an Education Solutions journalist, thanks to a grant from the Arizona Community Collaborative. She has a long history in education that ranges from teaching junior high and middle school to developing curriculum and standards-based assessments.
Community: A longtime advocate for animal welfare, Stacy is deeply involved in rescue efforts and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations.
Random Fact: Once upon a time, she shared her home with a pet coyote and two wolf hybrids. The experiences were wild enough to become the subject of her first book!
Education: She holds a BA in English with a minor in Political Science, a Post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with a emphasis on Marketing.
Hobbies: In her spare time, Stacy writes fast-paced urban fantasy novels, crafts small-batch artisan soap, and is always up for hiking or off-roading through the Arizona wilderness with her husband of 23 years.
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