Report Urges Governmental Day-Care Role : Public policy: Most participants in an Orange County issues forum said child care is not solely the responsibility of families.

Children’s day care should become a governmental responsibility, especially for low-income mothers, according to an informal survey released Monday by the National Issues Forum of Orange County, a private, nonprofit organization that encourages discussion on public policy.

“About two-thirds of the participants in Orange County said preschool programs should be a public responsibility in much the same way as roads and public schools,” said Harriett Walther, a forum spokeswoman and also a Saddleback Community College District trustee.

The report, which was presented to an audience of public officials and policy makers in Newport Beach, included the results of questionnaires answered by hundreds of county residents who attended 36 forum-sponsored meetings on the environment, drug abuse and child care, Walthers said.

U.S. Rep. C. Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach), who attended the presentation, said the report “was interesting.” However, Cox noted that forum members said their survey was unscientific.

“I think they were pretty clear that the report is not public opinion or a scientific survey but responses from forums designed to encourage people to think more deeply on the issues,” Cox said.

In addition to child care, Walther said that 86% of the forum participants said they would support a tax increase of $50 per year to help pay for mass transit.

“That is particularly interesting in light of how we’ve voted in this county against such transportation issues as Measure M,” said attorney Stan Wolcott, a forum director.

Walther said the idea behind the forum is to elicit discussions on world issues and then present findings to policy makers.

“We want them to know that people out there in the community are thinking about these issues,” Walther said. “Elected officials tend to hear only public opinion polls or from special interest groups.”

Forum participants also said that employers must share responsibility for child care with government.

“No matter what solution is adopted,” the report said, “two-thirds of Orange County respondents agreed that child care is not the sole responsibility of the family, but rather an issue that needs cooperative solutions involving employers and government.”