Critics got California's free diaper math wrong, but state won't release key Baby2Baby records
Summary
California’s new diaper program, Golden State Start, has faced criticism over its diaper cost claims. The state says diapers cost about 18.5 cents each, but social media posts wrongly claim 50 cents per diaper. The state has not yet released full contract details about the program’s partnership with the nonprofit Baby2Baby.Key Facts
- California’s diaper program aims to give new parents about 400 diapers when their baby is born.
- Social media claimed taxpayers pay 50 cents per diaper, but this is based on mixing budget years and diaper numbers incorrectly.
- The actual cost so far is about 18.5 cents per diaper, including state agency costs.
- The nonprofit Baby2Baby, which helps supply the diapers, has leaders earning less than $80,000 per year, not the $240,000 claimed online.
- The state has not yet released Baby2Baby’s contract or bidding records related to the diaper program.
- Experts warn that giving large diaper supplies to newborns may cause waste because babies grow at different speeds.
- Baby2Baby received $1.5 million from the state budget in 2023/24 for diaper distribution in Los Angeles but does not include this payment openly in its 2024 tax filing.
- The state is still deciding whether to share the program’s contract records, delaying transparency.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.