The following is a statement from Annie Contractor, Policy Director for Ohio-based RuralOrganizing.Org:
Lawmakers who are serious about reducing childhood poverty must support the proposed expansion of the Child Tax Credit. It’s a proven, effective tool that cut childhood poverty nearly in half in just two years, to a record low of 5.2%. It had an outsized impact on rural, Black, and Latine families as well as the poorest families who had earned too little to access the credit.
Before the credit was expanded, about 56% of all rural children were too poor to access the full credit, compared to 48% of metro children. In fact, 86% of persistent poverty counties are rural, and 1 in 4 rural children live in poverty — 1 in 3 for rural children of color. There is no question that the expanded Child Tax Credit is effective and affordable. We know how to eliminate child poverty; allowing it to continue is a policy choice.
This proposal isn’t perfect, but it would bring much-needed relief to families hit by inflation, stagnant wages, child care shortages, and policies that benefit the wealthy. While this still wouldn’t reach the families most in need, it would bring a vital boost to 80% of the families that currently can’t access the full credit. And, the poorest, most rural states would benefit the most. Overall, 16 million more American children and their families could see relief as soon as this tax season.
We are thrilled to see this proposal, and we urge Congress to take the final step and include the full expansion of the CTC in the tax package. 45% of rural children — nearly 4.3 million — would benefit from a Child Tax Credit fully available to all families. For the families this proposal misses, we must, and we will, keep working.”
The mission of RuralOrganizing.org is to rebuild a rural America that is empowered, thriving, and equitable. Follow us on Twitter @RuralOrganizing.
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