A shortage of childcare agencies in Orange County, Calif. has resulted in a loss of more than $4 billion annually in lost production and wages, officials say. Childcare advocates said more than 67,000 jobs are lost every year in Orange County, and $372 million is lost in tax revenue, due to a lack of childcare options. “These dire economic impacts—combined with the difficult personal decisions the crisis forces—are a flashing red light for Orange County’s financial health and future prosperity,” Kimberly Goll, executive officer of First 5 Orange County, said in a statement. “Our childcare crisis is taking a massive toll not just on local businesses’ workforces, but on the tens of thousands of families who are impacted by childcare challenges.” First 5 Orange County, a children and family organization, said it is responding to the economic impact of the childcare deficit by attempting to bring recognition to the importance of childcare in the workplace. By its estimates, the economic impact on Orange County employers exceeds $2 billion each year due to …