On Jan. 31, 47 representatives in New York's Assembly and Senate signed on to a letter asking Gov. Kathy Hochul for more money for child care. "47 of us in the New York legislature just released this joint statement that says Hochul’s budget is inadequate on child care spending, and we need $5 billion for Universal Child Care. This is the moment," New York State Senator Jabari Brisport Tweeted. Locally, State Senator Michelle Hinchey, a Democrat, was the only representative to sign on to the letter. Democrat Assemblymember Didi Barrett did not sign on to the letter, nor did local Republican representatives including State Senator Daphne Jordan, Assemblymember Chris Tague, and Assemblymember Jake Ashby. In her proposed budget, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that $70 million in federal money will be directed to "newly licensed, registered, or permitted child care programs in areas of the state without sufficient child care slots, known as child care deserts." But that $100 million program is part of last year's budget.