HONOLULU -- A state proposal to require local families who receive child care and preschool subsidies to pay more for the educational programs is creating controversy.

The state said it simply doesn't have enough money to continue to program as it stands and the change would be immediate.

Families said they can't afford what the state wants them to pay.

Craig Morrison said the hardest thing about the proposed increase would be having to tell 3-year-old Kiana she might have to stop going to preschool.

"We don't know if we can afford the $709 and if we do, we're going to be really pulling all the strings to make it happen," Morrison said.

Under the proposed changes, the co-payments would be on a sliding scale.

A family whose income qualifies them to participate in a preschool program for free would have to begin paying a parent co-pay of $120 a month.

For families like the Morrisons, their co-payments would increase from $212 a month to $709.

"People going to bend the state should bend but you shouldn't make it so like almost impossible, like $700 they're going to help us out with what, $30, $35? That's like gas money to drop her off at preschool," Morrison said.

It's estimated some 9,000 families receive childcare subsidies from the state under programs managed by the Department of Human Services.

Early Childhood education proponents said the proposal would be devastating to many young learners and their families.

"Not only will children not be able to attend, but we're worried that parents won't be able to satisfy the worker training requirements for the reason they're getting the subsidy," said Good Beginnings Alliance Executive Director Liz Chun.

Kathryn Reyes said if the proposal passes her co-payments for her two children would jump from $350 a month to $1,100 and force them to move to the mainland.

"Every penny I make would be towards child care, so it wouldn't be worth it for me to work. So I would stay home and I don't know how long we could survive like that," Reyes said.

A hearing on the proposal is on Nov. 23 at the Department of Human Services, Haseko Center on Mililani Street room 606, conference room 2. It starts at 2:30pm.