The trickle-down damage is beginning.

Legislators approved a compromise of 31 bills clattered together in the middle of the night to address California’s $26.5 billion budget shortfall. Both Republicans and Democrats feel they got something they wanted. Cities aren’t losing their gas tax and drilling will hold off on the Santa Barbara coast.

But the lawmakers had to cut, and their victims go across the board.

Chris Clark, who serves as the director of development and communications for the Santa Clarita Valley YMCA, said that nearly two dozen children will lose their daycare because of funding cutbacks to the Child Care Resource Center, a granting agency that helps disadvantaged families afford child care so they can work.

“There will be a local impact, but it won’t be as great as in some of the urban areas,” he said, referring to the mid-city YMCA facilities that are losing hundreds of children. Because of the multi-level funding coordinated by the Y, some families that might have been left behind are being helped, but the bottom line is that 22 children who used to call the YMCA home after school and on breaks will be staying home.

“We have identified what families might be impacted, and that’s 22 children in Santa Clarita,” he said. “Newhall schools will be the hardest hit, McGrath and Valley View, and Wiley will also be affected, but not as much as McGrath and Valley View.

Clark said that the last thing they want to do is reduce the number of children in child care, but reality is rough.

“The YMCA has worked with these families for so many years and we love having the children here. It hurts us that this is happening, and I hope that everyone knows that we’re working with these families to keep these children as long as we can. That’s our dedication to the community.”

For a unique perspective on the problem, read the editorial by YMCA President and CEO Larry Rosen here.