ORLANDO, Fla. -- Orange County leaders are finalizing their budget Tuesday and a big boost for children's services is included in the proposal.
- Money would be aimed at childcare, reading and other programs
- Proposed $4.25 billion budget does not include tax hike
- But Children's Trust Committee wants tax hike
The $4.25 billion proposed budget includes a $20 million increase in children's services in Orange County.
That money can help fund childcare, reading and other programs to help kids, especially those from low-income families.
The budget does not include a tax hike to pay for the boost.
However, the Children's Trust Committee of Orange County, an independent organization, stated that the $20 million increase is not enough.
The committee is calling on the county commission to put a referendum on the ballot to ask voters to approve a property tax hike to help at-risk children.
"The cost of infant daycare and child care and early learning, it's enormous," said Jacob Stuart, co-chair of the Children's Trust Committee of Orange County. "And what's happening is we are seeing in our community a widening gap between the performance of children early in their lives, that's not good for our community."
A University of Central Florida study found one in four children in Orange County live in poverty and more than a third of families in the county have trouble getting health care for their kids.
The county commission continues budget discussions Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the Orange County Commission Chambers in downtown Orlando.