Is it possible to have a daily “bring your child to work day” if your workplace has a daycare center on site? Micron Technology in Onondaga County is about to find out. The semiconductor manufacturer is constructing a child care center in the town of Clay, north of Syracuse.
This initiative is in compliance with the mandates set by the state and federal government for companies that receive incentives from the 2022 federal CHIPS Act or the state’s Green CHIPS Act. These companies must invest in child care for their employees, either by providing on-site care or subsidizing community child care providers. Micron is doing both. In addition to the on-site facility, they are also investing in a program that aims to increase the number of local home-based child care businesses. This follows a previous pledge of $500,000 from Micron towards local YMCA caregiving programs.
By requiring companies that receive significant grants or tax breaks to invest in their workforce and region, community benefit agreements like this one enhance the value of economic development and allow more people to benefit from it. These child care investments will also benefit the employer by expanding the pool of available employees and reducing turnover caused by a lack of reliable child care.
It is crucial for public funds to translate into meaningful public benefits. However, it is disappointing to see that the state does not seem to be putting enough pressure on Green CHIPS recipients to meet their energy sustainability goals.
According to state regulations, companies are required to set annual targets that align with the goals of the state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, such as using renewable energy and meeting energy-efficient facility standards. However, if a company fails to meet these targets, they can simply make a donation to a local nonprofit to escape any consequences.
This provision undermines our ambitious energy goals and allows companies to take public money while disregarding the effort to build a sustainable economy. Allowing companies to pay penalties and continue with business as usual is not a sufficient solution.
At the very least, the state should impose consequences on companies that utilize multiple “cures” without meaningful repercussions for their grant funding and incentives. We understand that there is a delicate balance between expanding the upstate economy and transforming our energy grid. However, we rely on the state to ensure that these projects benefit all New Yorkers, or at the very least, do not work against us.
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