FYI: Union representatives for the city’s day care workers asked a state court this morning to restore $276 million in federal funds earmarked for child care that they say the city diverted into other agencies, directly violating the federal statute that provides federal child care funding. Lawyers for the city did not address the workers’ charge, responding instead that the day care workers have no legal standing to bring suit. The judge promised to return a verdict within 20 days. Lack of child care funds recently forced the city to scale back a scheduled day care expansion from 5,000 to 3,000 lots; waiting lists for city-subsidized care, at their lowest in years, still numbered almost 30,000 in 2001, and there’s no sign of the wait letting up. Check out Tracie McMillan’s examination of the state of New York City’s public day care in the City Limits archives. [3/5/03]