Families deserve permanent child tax credit

The benefits of the child tax credit cannot be overstated. Providing families with muchneeded relief had a transformative effect in Connecticut and nationwide, reportedly slashing childhood poverty significantly. This session, making the necessary support of a child tax credit permanent has remained a priority for me. Early this session I introduced legislation to make it permanent and with data pointing to the child tax credit being a resounding success, I believe it is a no-brainer we get this done for Connecticut families.

I’ve frequently talked about my upbringing, my father coming to America in search of opportunity and a more prosperous life. Together with my mom, my parents did all they could to create a comfortable and happy childhood for me in Connecticut. To assist in my parents’ admirable efforts were the many taxpayer-funded programs such as reduced lunch and head start that removed some of the cost burden from my parents. The child tax credit had a similar benefit to Connecticut residents, reportedly helping over 240,000 families and 353,000 children.

Nationwide, the child tax credit also brought about positive results for children and families. According to research conducted by Brookings on the 2021 temporary expansion of the child tax credit, it lifted “3.7 million children out of poverty as of December 2021.” What’s more, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, “Research has found that additional income from policies such as the Child Tax Credit improves the health, educational achievement, future earnings, and lifelong prospects of children in low-income families.”

We know how much making this tax credit permanent will help, especially as Lisa Tepper Bates, president and CEO of the United Way of Connecticut, told the legislature in a hearing last year on this matter that the costs for a traditional family of four in Connecticut have reached $90,000 a year and “the need for a permanent child tax credit is obvious.”

What has also been made obvious due to the positive results of the child tax credit is the way it addresses longstanding economic inequities in our state. Hearst reports a permanent child tax credit would “benefit 57 percent of Black households and 63 percent of Hispanic households with incomes less than the lowincome threshold.” Brookings also reported out that, “the expanded Child Tax Credit may be an important tool for addressing both racial financial inequality and a widening income gap in the United States.” My colleagues and I talk about equity often, and I believe we frequently approach policy from an equity-focused lens. By making the child tax credit permanent, we not only support working families, but also, we continue our work toward creating a more equitable Connecticut.

An additional benefit of the child tax credit is improving the health of children and families in our state. My parents worked hard to put food on the table, but I know times were not easy and navigating those financial challenges took a toll on the mental and physical health of many. Money is the number one cause of stress, according to a 2022 CreditWise survey. It has also been well documented how stress can wreak havoc on one’s physical health. According to a study done by Health Affairs, “increased income is one clear pathway by which the Child Tax Credit improves health; distributing this income in a steady flow could be a separate pathway to this goal.” The study also highlighted research conducted that shows a link from exposure to food insecurity, substandard housing, and income volatility to poorer health outcomes.

Many Connecticut parents are finding a way, working multiple jobs and missing out on rest, and quality time with their children. A permanent child tax credit can address both of those problems, making it so parents and guardians can spend more time with their kids and less time pulling double shifts and neglecting their health. As parents are tasked with figuring out how to make ends meet, regardless of the sacrifices they require, we, too must go to work for these parents. We can learn from any inefficiencies we discovered after last year’s temporary child tax credit and give Connecticut families the muchneeded permanent support they deserve.