by Izetta Asikainen CTNewsJunkie
HARTFORD, CT – Trinity College students partnered with the United Way of Connecticut this year to investigate and document financial hardships faced by families with children in Hartford.
Their work, which is still ongoing, was cited Wednesday as advocates called for a permanent, state-level child tax credit – support for which the Lamont administration does not appear to be willing to provide.
“We asked the students here at the [Liberal Arts] Action Lab to help us to lift up the voices of people in our state, in this community, who are experiencing financial hardship with a special focus on those with children as we look together with our coalition partners for passage in Connecticut of a state-level child tax credit,” Bates said.
Specifically, Trinity students have been interviewing Hartford residents in line to receive Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) at Trinfo Cafe across Broad Street from the Trinity campus.
The VITA program offers free tax help for low- to moderate-income people who need help preparing their tax returns.
Jude Staples, a Trinity freshman, explained the interview process and its findings in Wednesday’s presentation.
“We were looking to interview Hartford residents to gain a better perspective on how the child tax credit could benefit Connecticut families who need it most,” Staples said, adding that thus far they had interviewed 19 families.
Staples said that all of them were in support of the Child Tax Credit (CTC).
Their interviews also indicate that 60% had lived in Hartford for 20 or more years, 61% struggle to pay rent, and 39% struggle to pay utilities.
Bates cited the United Way of Connecticut’s 2023 ALICE Report that she said provides a look at the financial hardships of households across Connecticut that don’t meet the poverty threshold, but are Asset Limited, Income Constrained, and Employed (ALICE).
“What that data tells us is that 39% of households in Connecticut are either just barely making ends meet, paycheck to paycheck every month, or are falling behind,” Bates said.
Bates described the Child Tax Credit (CTC) as a proven and practical way to “put money into the wallet of that family who is struggling to pay the basic costs of living,” and highlighted their hope that elected leaders will listen to those who voice this struggle in order to understand what many families in Connecticut are experiencing.
L to R: House Majority Leader Jason Rojas speaks in support of a child tax credit in Connecticut at a news conference on Wednesday March 27, 2024, at Trinfo Cafè in Hartford, along with Liliana Polley, Director of CHER Strategic Partnerships, Maria Nùñez, an interviewee from the study, Eric Harrison, President and CEO of United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut, and Reps. Kevin Brown, D-Vernon, and Kate Farrar, D-West Hartford. Credit: Coral Aponte / CTNewsJunkie
Rep. Kevin Brown, D-Vernon, reiterated the importance of elected leaders understanding the adversity many Connecticut families face.
“I would challenge any of my colleagues in the legislature who maybe haven’t had those adverse experiences themselves to get out and see how other people are living,” Brown said. “Then maybe, just maybe, they’ll understand why a Child Tax Credit is so important and how far it could go and how it could be transformational and change people’s lives and allow them to be able to participate.”
House Majority Leader Jason Rojas referred to the state’s budget as a “moral document,” as “policies like this really reflect the moral direction that we need to head in if we’re really serious about serving the needs of the people who just need that additional support.”
According to the fact sheet provided by the Trinity students, Connecticut is the only state with personal income tax that does not adjust for number of children.
DataHaven also researched the issue and produced a report indicating that 75% of households with children would benefit from a child tax credit, translating to $306 million in refunds distributed to 268,000 eligible families.
Rep. Kate Farrar, D-West Hartford, said a permanent, refundable tax credit would support 75% of the families across the state, “predominantly women-led households and families of color.”
DataHaven’s analysis assumes the child tax credit would $600 per child annually, for up to three children per filing family. Single-filing families making less $100,000 per year, and joint-filers making less than $200,000 per year, would be eligible to receive the credit. The credit would be fully refundable, meaning that families without tax liability would receive the full value.
Despite bipartisan support for a child tax credit or a deduction of some type, Gov. Ned Lamont and his administration are opposed to the idea.
Following a request for comment on where they stand today on adding the child tax credit, Lamont budget spokesman Chris Collibee responded by email with the following statement:
Gov. Lamont is always willing to listen to ideas from the General Assembly to make Connecticut a more affordable place to live and work. His often stated goal is to increase the number of taxpayers, not taxes. Any changes to our tax laws must be part of a balanced budget and adhere to all constitutional and statutory requirements, without impacting our state’s competitive position in the regional economy.
During the Lamont administration, with strong bipartisan support from the General Assembly, we delivered the largest personal income tax cut in state history, increased the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), and capped motor vehicle taxes, while continuing to pay down legacy pension debt – thereby reducing fixed costs allowing for increased spending on essential services such as education and childcare. Residents and businesses have taken note of our progress, while other nearby states are losing population, Connecticut is experiencing an increase in population.