Greetings to you all!
We are looking to our friends, colleagues and partners to aid us in getting the word out regarding a key piece of legislation, HB 3028, that supports working people in our community through access to an earned income benefit credit. This credit is referred to as EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) and is set to expire by 2020; HB 3028 supports continuation and expansion of this benefit.
Children playing with blocks while their parents attend an MFS EITC workshop
Real money for working families
70% of families whose students attend our MFS Community School (afterschool) programs are employed, with a total average yearly income of $27,750. With this amount of income, families are not able to cover housing, food and other day to day costs, and are put in a vulnerable position if emergency needs arise.
At MFS, our financial coaches understand that working families and individuals only make lasting economic gains when they can build tangible assets.
EITC is an excellent example of a tangible asset that is available to those who qualify; in other words, there is no waiting list for EITC, while other asset building avenues (e.g. low interest car loans, individual development accounts, etc.) are limited by the number of loans available.
What can we do to help now?
There is an urgency to support the continuation and expansion of EITC, as it is set to expire in 2020. House Bill 3028 has been introduced in order to renew, modernize and raise the credit amount for Oregon workers.
Because we believe so strongly in this work, MFS joined the “Renew and Raise” coalition that seeks to improve access and modernize the Earned Income Tax Credit in Oregon. You can learn more about how to support HB 3038 here.
This bill will strengthen our efforts to gain EITC returns for our clients and help us continue to grow our continuum of economic empowerment services so that MFS clients can live with financial health and wellbeing into their futures.
Thank you for adding your voice,