This Labor Day, Support an Important Proposal to Help Maryland’s Working People and Children

Labor Day is a time to honor workers’ contributions to our communities and our country. Unfortunately, too many workers in our state don’t earn enough to make ends meet, have little control over their work schedules, and have little or no paid time off. Working people deserve better.

A recent federal proposal offers a promising path forward.

The bill — known as the Working Families Tax Relief Act — would help 46 million households across the country pay the bills while boosting their children’s opportunities to succeed.

The proposal would strengthen the highly successful Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), putting more money back in the pockets of working people at tax time. And, it would increase the Child Tax Credit, helping millions more kids in low- and middle-income families get a good start in life.

The Working Families Tax Relief Act would support working people across Maryland who help drive our economy and contribute to our communities. For example, more than 32,000 of the health care professionals who care for us and our families, like registered nurses and home health aides, would benefit from this legislation.

In total, the proposal would increase the incomes of 1.8 million Marylanders and benefit 809,000 Maryland children – with the benefits shared broadly across racial groups.

Consider a mother of two kids who makes $20,000 as a part-time home health aide. The bill would raise her Child Tax Credit by $2,210 and her EITC by about $1,460, for a combined gain of about $3,670. That would mean more money to buy basic necessities, make needed home repairs, maintain a car to get to work, or get the additional education or training needed to secure a better, higher-paying job.

The proposal would also have lasting benefits for children. Stronger income assistance through policies like the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit is linked with healthier birth weights, better childhood nutrition, higher reading and math test scores, higher high school graduation rates, less use of drugs and alcohol, and higher rates of college entry.

To strengthen our communities and our economy, we need to ensure that working people have a chance to improve their economic well-being and that their children have a chance to succeed. The Working Families Tax Relief Act is part of that solution.

We applaud Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen for co-sponsoring this important measure in the Senate, and Rep. Jamie Raskin for helping lead the charge in the House of Representatives. We urge the other members of Maryland’s congressional delegation to co-sponsor this legislation to substantially strengthen the EITC and Child Tax Credit and help give working people and their children the opportunity to get ahead.