7-week state budget stalemate holds up payment to hundreds of child care centers

Across California, many of the 785 facilities providing care for more than 500,000 poor children could have to cut services or even close unless a budget is approved soon, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell said. Last month, the state withheld nearly $300 million from state-funded child care centers for lack of a spending plan for the current fiscal year.