TAX CREDITS: A top priority renewal

The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC) expansions from the American Rescue Plan will expire at the end of this year, pushing millions of families and low wage workers back into poverty.

The continuation of these two tax credits could cut child poverty nearly in half, including many children in Idaho. If a family in Idaho making $20/hour cannot afford housing, what happens to those families working for minimum wage?

This economic disparity is hurting all of us. It must stop being about politics and start being about ensuring basic human needs are met.

If Congress fails to extend these expansions, adults not raising children would see their EITC shrink to almost nothing, and workers under age 25 would lose the EITC altogether. Furthermore, the parents of tens of millions of low-income children would no longer be able to access the full CTC.

We hear the reasoning that these extensions will further increase the deficit, yet seem to easily overlook how the deficit grew $21 trillion, or $1 trillion a year, because of our propensity for war in Afghanistan instead of our intention to ensure our citizens thrive. Let’s use the dollars spent on one year of war to instead create jobs and assist the citizens of this great country.

Please encourage Senator Risch and Senator Crapo to support passage of the extension of these tax credits and help the people of Idaho.

DONNA NORDSTROM

Hayden