(The Center Square) – The Washington Department of Commerce on Wednesday provided The Center Square with a complete list of taxpayer-funded daycare providers’ names and locations, reversing an earlier decision not to reveal the information.
The taxpayer funds are intended to create 2,056 new childcare spaces through the Early Learning Facilities (ELF) program.
Until Wednesday, the list of more than 70 award recipients who received a combined $57.8 million in state grants last month to expand, renovate or upgrade facilities to create more childcare slots did not include the names and business locations for many of the providers.
The omission led to multiple media inquiries and social media posts urging transparency, at a time when potential daycare and other subsidy fraud has been in the news.
Many of the providers receiving grants, some for several millions of dollars, were simply listed as “family home facility” with the city noted, but no other identifying information.
In announcing the recent grants, DCYF said the law required it to omit the names and addresses of 20 childcare operations, yet nothing in the law they cited says business names and addresses must be concealed.
As reported by The Center Square, the RCW cited by DCYF and the Commerce department for omitting the names of the providers, RCW 42.56.640 came about as the result of an initiative adopted by the people in 2016 (I-1501) to protect seniors and vulnerable individuals from identity theft and other financial crimes by preventing the release of public records that could be used to victimize them.
Sen. Leonard Christian, R-Spokane Valley, told The Center Square no provider receiving taxpayer money should be “unlisted”.
“A business is being protected from their information being put out there…that just makes no sense to me,” said Christian. “You’re a business receiving taxpayer money. You’re filing for a business grant.”
Christian also emailed The Center Square a copy of letter he sent to Commerce Interim Director Sarah Clifthorne, urging the release of the unredacted list of grant recipients.
“Transparency is not optional when public funds are involved” read Christian’s letter. “The people of Washington deserve confidence that their government operates openly, consistently and in accordance with both the spirit and letter of our public records law.”
The Center Square asked Commerce for an explanation on applying the RCW to deny publication of the providers and received the following initial response:
“Commerce relies on the state Attorney General’s Office for interpretation of such laws. The best way to proceed to get this information is to submit a public records request to ensure the information is handled appropriately,” wrote Amelia Lamb with Commerce.
When TCS pressed Lamb further to explain how the RCW created to protect seniors from identity theft could be applied to hide the names of daycare providers receiving taxpayer subsidies, Lamb responded Tuesday indicating they were reconsidering.
“I just spoke to our public records manager, who has received new guidance from the Attorney General’s Office about this RCW. In response to the new guidance, we will release the full list with the site addresses. I’m expecting to have that from him later today and I’ll share it with you when I get it,” wrote Lamb midday Tuesday.
On Wednesday just after 10:30 a.m. Lamb sent the complete list with all provider names and locations.
The original press release issued by Gov. Ferguson when he announced the awards now contains a link with the updated complete list.
They include several home daycare providers in Yakima, including Aventuras Daycare, Jardin De Ninos LLC and Acevedo Daycare.
