News Release: Response to Legislation to Eliminate Earned Income Tax Credit

(Lansing, Mich.) — This morning the Michigan House of Representatives Roads and Economic Development Committee discussed House Bill 4609, legislation that would eliminate the Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) as a means to generate revenue for infrastructure and road repairs. Michigan Catholic Conference Vice President for Public Policy and Advocacy Tom Hickson testified against the legislation in committee as the Conference is a long-time supporter of the EITC due to its proven record of providing a hand-up to low-income workers. Hickson offered the following additional comments after the hearing:

“Michigan’s elected officials know a solution is needed to fix the state’s infrastructure, with varying proposals and ideas continuing to come forward since the May 5 special election. While their effort to fix the roads is encouraged, Michigan Catholic Conference opposes efforts to generate revenue for these repairs by eliminating the state Earned Income Tax Credit. The roads are in crisis, yet poverty continues to remain a significant concern as, for example, Michigan ranks 35th among states with nearly 25 percent of our children living in poverty. The state EITC is a proven tax policy that gives low-income workers and their families a hand up, not a hand out. As conversations about state funding for road repairs move forward, Michigan Catholic Conference urges elected officials to hold the state’s EITC harmless.”

Michigan Catholic Conference is the official public policy voice of the Catholic Church in this state.

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