Catholic Conference to Legislators: 'Stand With the Working Poor by Protecting Earned Income Tax Credit'

LANSING -- Michigan Catholic Conference Vice President for Public Policy Paul A. Long released the following statement today concerning the Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit:

"In 2006 the Michigan Legislature passed with bipartisan support an Earned Income Tax Credit, which the Conference hailed as 'the best piece of legislation passed this year'. For two years low-income Michigan workers have been told by the State that tax relief is on its way, but now some elected officials are calling for this tax relief to be halted. At both the federal and state levels the Earned Income Tax Credit has proven time and again to be the most effective tax policy that moves people out of poverty. Freezing the implementation of the EITC while Michigan workers are struggling at alarming rates is both disingenuous and poor policy, considering over 700,000 working families would stand to benefit from the credit. Michigan Catholic Conference calls on all elected officials to support the EITC and help those who are working from falling below the poverty line."

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