The Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC) and the Think Babies Michigan coalition are gathering information from candidates seeking public office in Michigan about their perspectives on early childhood policy. Our goal is education, not endorsement. ECIC does not endorse, oppose, or rate candidates for public office.
We are collecting responses so that families, early childhood service providers, and community members across Michigan can better understand how candidates think about the needs of children from birth through age five and the families and professionals who care for them. Responses from candidates are published as received, without editing or commentary. Candidates have agreed that their responses may be reproduced and attributed to them in ECIC and Think Babies Michigan communications, including newsletters, social media, websites, and materials shared with coalition partners.
The following responses are from Gus Tarraf, Republican candidate for Michigan House of Representatives District 3.
What do you see as the most pressing early childhood challenge facing the district or communities you seek to represent?
The most pressing early childhood challenge I see is access to affordable, high-quality childcare for working families. Many parents are struggling to balance the cost of childcare with housing, food, transportation, and other household expenses, while childcare providers face their own challenges with staffing, wages, and operating costs.
Families should not have to choose between working and being able to afford safe, quality care for their young children. We also need to make sure childcare providers can attract and retain qualified professionals.
As a state representative, I would support efforts to expand access to quality childcare, reduce the financial burden on working families, and strengthen the early childhood workforce. Investing in young children and the people who care for them is an investment in the long-term strength of our community and Michigan’s economy.
Michigan families in many parts of the state live in areas with far fewer licensed child care slots than there are children who need them, and the shortage is most severe for infants and toddlers. What is your view of this issue, and what approaches would you consider if elected?
The shortage of licensed child care slots, particularly for infants and toddlers, is a serious challenge for Michigan families. When families cannot find affordable, reliable care, parents may be forced to reduce their work hours, leave the workforce, or make difficult choices about their children’s care.
If elected, I would support policies that expand the availability of quality child care while also making it easier for providers to recruit and retain qualified staff. This could include reviewing regulations that unnecessarily increase the cost of operating child care programs, supporting workforce development and training, and exploring targeted financial assistance for families who need help affording care.
We should also recognize that child care providers are small businesses and community institutions. Any approach should consider the financial sustainability of providers so that increasing access does not come at the expense of quality.
Michigan should work toward a child care system where families can find safe, quality care when they need it and providers can operate sustainably.
What is your perspective on the cost of child care for Michigan families, and on the tools available to state or federal policymakers to address affordability?
Child care is one of the largest expenses facing many Michigan families, particularly families with infants and toddlers. When the cost of care consumes a significant portion of a family’s income, parents may be forced to reduce their work hours, leave the workforce, or make difficult choices about the type of care their children receive.
I support a combination of approaches to improve affordability, including targeted assistance for families who need it, expanding access to quality child care, and strengthening the financial stability of child care providers. State and federal policymakers can use tax credits, subsidies, grants, and other programs to help reduce the cost for eligible families while supporting providers.
I also believe we should look for ways to reduce unnecessary regulatory and administrative costs without compromising health, safety, or quality standards. Any public investment should be transparent and accountable, with a focus on making quality care more accessible and affordable.
Families should not have to choose between working and providing quality care for their young children.
Early childhood educators are among the lowest paid workers in Michigan, and turnover in the field is high. How do you think about compensation, benefits, and working conditions in this profession?
Early childhood educators play an essential role in our communities, yet many are not compensated at a level that reflects the importance and responsibility of their work. Low wages, limited benefits, and difficult working conditions contribute to high turnover, which can disrupt the continuity and quality of care for young children.
I believe Michigan should work toward improving compensation, benefits, professional development, and working conditions for early childhood educators. At the same time, we need to make sure that additional support reaches the workforce and does not create costs that make quality child care even less affordable for families.
If elected, I would support efforts to strengthen the early childhood workforce through sustainable funding, career and training opportunities, and policies that help providers offer competitive compensation.
Investing in early childhood educators is an investment in Michigan’s children, families, and workforce.
Michigan has dedicated funding for many critical services, but nothing specifically focused on the needs of families with young children. Advocates have proposed a dedicated, sustainable state revenue stream for early childhood, separate from the annual general fund appropriations process. What is your perspective on that idea?
I support the goal of creating more stable and predictable funding for early childhood services. Families and child care providers need consistency, and relying entirely on the annual budget process can make long-term planning difficult.
I would be open to establishing a dedicated and sustainable funding mechanism for early childhood, provided it is fiscally responsible, transparent, and carefully evaluated. I would want to understand the proposed revenue source, its impact on Michigan taxpayers, and how the funds would be distributed and held accountable.
Early childhood programs should be viewed as an investment in Michigan’s families, workforce, and long-term economic health. If Michigan can establish a sustainable funding structure without creating an unreasonable burden on taxpayers, I would support seriously pursuing that approach.
My priority would be stable funding, responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars, and measurable results for children and families.
If you were setting priorities within a constrained early childhood budget, what would you prioritize first, and why?
If resources are limited, I would prioritize the areas that have the most direct and immediate impact on children and working families.
First, I would prioritize access to safe, high-quality child care for infants and toddlers, because shortages in this area can prevent parents from working and can have lasting effects on children’s development.
Second, I would prioritize supporting the early childhood workforce, including competitive compensation, training, and professional development. We cannot expand quality child care without qualified educators and caregivers.
Third, I would prioritize targeted assistance for families who cannot afford care, particularly lower- and middle-income working families.
Finally, I would require accountability and measurable outcomes for publicly funded programs. Every taxpayer dollar should be used effectively, and programs should demonstrate that they are improving access, affordability, and outcomes for Michigan children.
My overall priority would be to put resources where they can make the greatest difference for children while helping parents remain in the workforce and ensuring responsible use of public funds.
Michigan has made significant strides to promote maternal and infant health, though federal policy changes put many of these programs at risk. How would you work to preserve and expand access to important programs that promote maternal and infant health including Medicaid?
Maternal and infant health should be a priority because healthy pregnancies and healthy first years of life have a lasting impact on children, families, and our communities. I support preserving access to essential maternal and infant health services, including Medicaid coverage for eligible Michigan families.
If elected, I would work to protect programs that provide prenatal care, postpartum care, pediatric services, screenings, nutrition support, and other evidence-based services that help mothers and babies get a healthy start. I would also support efforts to improve access to care in communities where families face transportation, provider shortages, or other barriers.
Medicaid is an important part of Michigan’s health care system, and changes to eligibility or funding should be carefully evaluated so that eligible mothers and children do not lose access to necessary care.
I would also support working with health care providers, community organizations, and families to identify gaps in care and make sure public resources are being used effectively.
Every mother and baby should have access to the care they need for a healthy start, while Michigan remains responsible and accountable with taxpayer resources.
Think Babies supports more funding for programs that support nurturing relationships and well-being for babies and caregivers — like home visiting, consultation, and intervention services —to help address and prevent stress and trauma before they become a crisis. How familiar are you with these kinds of programs, and would you support increased funding for them if elected?
I am familiar with the role of home visiting, early intervention, and family-support programs in helping parents and caregivers address challenges before they become larger crises. I believe these services can be particularly valuable for families with infants and young children.
If elected, I would support increased funding for evidence-based programs that strengthen nurturing relationships, support caregivers, identify concerns early, and connect families with appropriate resources. Prevention and early intervention can help reduce the need for more costly interventions later.
I would also want these programs to be accessible to families who need them, including families who may not know that these services are available. Public funding should be accompanied by clear goals, accountability, and measurement of outcomes.
Supporting families early is one of the best investments Michigan can make in the health and development of its youngest children.
The Early On Coalition — which is part of Think Babies — has advocated for increased funding to support families with infants and toddlers who have disabilities and developmental delays to make sure they get the individualized early intervention services they are entitled to. What is your perspective on increasing funding for Early On?
I support increased funding for Early On and other evidence-based early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities or developmental delays.
Early identification and intervention can make a meaningful difference in a child’s development and can provide families with the tools and support they need during the earliest and most important years of a child’s life. Families should not have to wait until a child enters school before receiving services for an identified developmental need.
If elected, I would support efforts to ensure that eligible children have timely access to the individualized services they are entitled to, while also making sure funding is used effectively and providers have the resources necessary to deliver quality services.
Early intervention is an investment in children, families, and Michigan’s long-term educational and economic success.
If elected, how would you gather input from parents, caregivers, and early childhood professionals in your district when making decisions that affect them?
If elected, I would make listening to parents, caregivers, and early childhood professionals a regular part of how I make decisions. The people working with young children and raising families every day often have the clearest understanding of what is working and where the gaps are.
I would hold regular community meetings and listening sessions, meet directly with child care providers, educators, health care professionals, and family organizations, and maintain accessible ways for residents to share concerns and ideas.
I would also make a point of seeking input from families who may not normally participate in government or public meetings, including working parents who may have limited time or transportation.
Before supporting major changes affecting early childhood, I would want to hear directly from the people who will be affected and review available data and evidence.
My approach would be simple: listen first, learn from the community, and then make decisions based on the needs of families and children and responsible use of public resources.
Is there anything else you would like Michigan families, early childhood professionals, and advocates to know about your approach to young children and their families?
I believe the well-being of Michigan’s youngest children is directly connected to the strength of our families, communities, and economy. Supporting young children also means supporting the parents, caregivers, and professionals who care for them.
As a state representative, I would approach early childhood policy with three principles: access, affordability, and accountability. Families should have access to quality care and early intervention services when they need them, child care should be affordable enough that parents can work and provide for their families, and public investments should produce measurable results.
I also believe families and early childhood professionals should have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect them. I would listen to their experiences, work with community organizations and providers, and look for practical solutions that can make a real difference.
Every child deserves the opportunity to get a strong start in life, and every family deserves the support and opportunity to build a strong future.
Are there early childhood issues you believe are being overlooked in the current policy conversation in Michigan?
One issue I believe deserves more attention is the transition from early childhood services into kindergarten and elementary school. We often focus on whether children have access to child care, but we also need to make sure children are developmentally prepared for school and that families do not lose important supports when their children transition between programs.
I believe Michigan should place greater emphasis on early identification of developmental and learning needs, strong early literacy and language development, and better coordination between child care providers, early intervention programs, schools, health care providers, and families.
I would also like to see more attention given to the needs of parents who work nontraditional hours. A child care system that only works for families with traditional 9-to-5 schedules does not meet the needs of many working families.
Early childhood policy should look at the entire journey from birth through kindergarten, not treat each service or age group as a separate system.