,

Coalition puts tax breaks for low-income workers on table

Originally posted on WWLP.

 “Regardless of the direction of the economy, lawmakers eyeing tax reform would do well to increase the Child and Family Tax Credit,” said Phineas Baxandall, policy director at the Mass. Budget and Policy Center. “Legislative leaders and candidate Healey have endorsed increasing the credit as a way to help struggling families cope with rising living costs. If the economy slows, the need to help these families will be even greater.”

The coalition is also calling for the state to increase the state match rate from 30 percent of the federal EITC to 50 percent of the federal credit. Raising the EITC from 30 percent of the federal credit to 40 percent, which was the House’s proposed increase last session, would help nearly 400,000 families making less than $57,000 a year and provide relief of over $91 million, Cusack said at the time.

“We are thrilled to work with the new administration and our longtime House and Senate champions to pass meaningful and inclusive tax relief that improves the health and well-being of hundreds of thousands of families in the commonwealth,” said coalition co-lead Allison Bovell-Ammon of Children’s HealthWatch.