By Jake Marsing

Being a fourth-generation Longmonster (Longmonter? Longmontonian?) is one of the things I’m most proud of. My great-grandparents bought a farm just north of Colo. 66 in the 1930s and settled here to build a life where their family could thrive.

But even the most longtime Longmonters would admit — we’re not that same farm town anymore. Today, Longmont is a 21st-century city facing 21st-century challenges.

I believe we’re at a crossroads that will define what kind of city we become. And whether my two sons will be able to put down roots here as fifth-generation members of this community.

Right now, Longmont can go down one of three paths.

We can become a city of the already-wealthy and well-established, where working families struggle just to hang on.

We can drift into a city of widening contrasts, where rising costs and inequitable growth deepen the gap between the haves and have-nots.

Or we can choose a third path: a Longmont for everybody.

It’s a vision of a city where opportunity isn’t gated by income. A community where teachers, nurses, small business owners, and young families can afford to stay, contribute, and thrive.

But one issue keeps rising to the top in conversations with neighbors, community leaders, and employers: If we’re serious about building an inclusive, affordable city, we must address the crisis of child care and early childhood education.

As a teacher and a dad to two little boys, I see this from every angle. Until recently, my wife and I were paying almost $1,200 a month for just three days of care per month. That’s as much as rent in some parts of town.

We were one of the many families scrambling for care, bouncing between part-time options, long waitlists, and costs that made us question whether it was even worth working. Eventually, it no longer was.

And we’re not alone. Every week, I hear from families being squeezed by a system that simply isn’t working.

This isn’t just a financial issue. It’s an economic and moral crisis.

Parents are forced to scale back their careers. Kids fall behind before they’ve even started school. Providers are barely staying afloat. The system is broken for everyone.

Today, full-time infant care in Boulder County often costs more than in-state tuition at CU Boulder. Waitlists can stretch for months or even years, and costs are rising at nearly twice the rate of inflation.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

We need leaders with real political will, not just lip service. Leaders who can bring parents, providers, educators, and employers together around real solutions. That means lowering costs, expanding access, and making sure we plan growth around the needs of working families — not just developers.

For too long, early childhood education has been treated like a private problem. It’s not.

It’s infrastructure. Like roads, utilities, and transit, child care keeps our economy moving and our families stable.

This moment demands creativity, urgency, and empathy.

Longmont has always been the working-class, diverse heart of Boulder County. A place where immigrants, tradespeople, educators, and dreamers built lives side by side. That spirit is still alive here, and we have a responsibility to protect it.

A Longmont for everybody means no family is left behind because of the cost of care. It means investing now in the next generation — and the ones raising them. It means honoring the soul of Longmont while building a future we can all share in.

Let’s build a Longmont where every child gets a fair start, and every family has a fair shot.

Jake Marsing is a fourth generation Longmonter, educator, community activist and candidate for Longmont City Council, At Large.