by Kenneth Reed CTNewsJunkie
HARTFORD, CT— Is it fair to tax a person raising three children at the same rate as someone supporting only themselves? State Rep. Anthony Nolan, D-New London, doesn’t think it is.
““The truth is with Connecticut being one of the only states with personal income tax that does not account for family size, we tax parents raising three children the same as someone supporting only themselves, that’s not fair,” Nolan said Wednesday morning at a media briefing on a proposed child tax credit.
Elected officials joined representatives of United Way of CT and a group of parents at the Legislative Office Building to advocate for a state child tax credit that supporters said would benefit about 75% of families in the state. The proposal, House Bill 5134, has about 70 cosponsors.
Lisa Tepper Bates, President and CEO of United Way of Connecticut, discusses the increase in financial hardship tracked by this year’s ALICE report during a news conference at the state Capitol on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. Credit: Jamil Ragland / CTNewsJunkie
According to United Way of CT President and CEO Lisa Tepper Bates, the proposal would provide $600 per child, up to three children to families earning under $100,000 for single filers and under $200,000 for joint filers,
That would be a big financial relief, she said.
“So many other states have already created or even now expanding their state level child tax credits,” she said. She noted that New York’s credit is $1,000.
“Not having this benefit for families makes Connecticut less competitive in attracting and keeping our state working families,” she said.
Emily Hoaglan, from the American Academy of Pediatrics, said a tax credit would benefit children too.
“One in four low income families have resorted to watering down formula or restricting how much formula they feed infants due to limited resources, a dangerous practice that can cause devastating health consequences,” Hoaglan said. “Increasing family income through the child tax credit is associated with healthier birth rates, lower rates of maternal depression, improved nutrition, stronger early brain development, better school readiness, and ultimately higher long term educational attainment.”
State Rep. Kate Farrar, D-West Hartford, speaks during debate about a child care bill in the state House chamber. Credit: Donald Eng / CTNewsJunkie
For state Rep. Kate Farrar, D-West Hartford, the issue is simple.
““Every single child in our state of Connecticut deserves to thrive,” she said. “We will continue to make clear that our families and our kids can no longer wait, this has to be the year for a permanent, refundable child tax credit.”