By Jon Wiener
All the headlines about the child care center in Rengstorff Park struck Chuck Bernstein as ironic.
While city officials infuriated neighbors and small operators by planning to spend millions on a new center that it would then lease to a private operator, Bernstein was searching for a new home for his Palo Alto-based Early Learning Institute.
“Here we’re looking for a site, we’re willing to pay market rent, we’re not looking for any subsidy at all, and it’s very, very difficult,” he said.
Bernstein finally identified a site he wanted, on Casey Avenue near the end of San Antonio Road. But that site is zoned for limited industrial, which means it’s off limits to independent providers like Bernstein.
Bernstein says his center would provide slots for 130 children, plus an equal number of private elementary school students. While it wouldn’t serve every need that advocates have pointed out — like most local providers, Early Learning Institute does not accept federal or state vouchers for poor families — the center would go a long way towards meeting the need for what advocates say are hundreds of additional spaces in Mountain View.
Stories like Bernstein’s and the questions they raise have been lost in the debate over the Rengstorff center, which is far from over, with many hurdles to go before the city can begin construction. Meanwhile, a number of city officials are complaining that the drawn-out debate has detracted from the bigger issue of how to provide affordable child care for everybody who needs it.
“It’s actually diverted attention,” said city council member Greg Perry. “It creates a false impression that by giving up park space we’re solving our child care problem.”
Perry, who has so far been on the losing side in every single vote on the child care center, said the city needs to seriously consider allowing child care in more places — in particular, easing zoning restrictions in commercial areas.
Council member Mike Kasperzak has been on the opposite side of the debate, but even he agrees that it will not be enough to provide child care for every parent that wants the new center built.
“It’s a step in the right direction, but it doesn’t solve the problem,” said Kasperzak.
The council could take a step towards finding a solution Tuesday, if members back Matt Neely’s call to set child care as a council goal for the upcoming fiscal year. Neely pledged to make child care a priority during his year as mayor in 2005, but expressed frustration at times as the debate over the Rengstorff center dragged on. The Tuesday meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the Senior Center on Escuela Avenue.
E-mail Jon Wiener at jwiener
