Giving struggling households a boost is good for entire state of Michigan
Michigan Rep. Tyrone Carter (D-Detroit) stood with a coalition of family advocates Friday to applaud the budget proposed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. She’s calling for measures including a hike in the Earned Income Tax Credit, an increase in funding for low-income child care subsidies. Supports believe these changes will give struggling families a much needed boost.
Rep. Carter says he stands behind Whitmer’s shift in priorities like allocating $507 million for K-12 schools, the largest funding increase for school operations in a generation. He believes it will create much needed equity in the system that will benefit everyone in the long run. “To see the budget put money into (education) to drive that equity is heartwarming to me because I know that there has been a disinvestment in the state of Michigan when it comes to education,” said Rep. Carter. "A lot of people use the 3rd and 4th grade reading level as an idea of how many prisons we're going to have. So for Gov. Whitmer to put $24 million into literacy coaches is going to do wonderful things for our young people."
The Governor’s budget would also Double the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) from 6% to 12% over the course of two years, which will save approximately 750,000 low-income, Michigan families an average of $360 per year. “The bigger EITC would make it easier for families to afford necessities like child care and transportation. Kids whose families receive the EITC have better health and education outcomes,“ said Dwayne Barnes of the Michigan League for Public Policy. “Whole communities benefit when families are able to afford goods and services. The EITC put over 21 million dollars back into Detroit’s economy in 2017 and helped boost the earnings of thousands in the city.”
Gov. Whitmer’s budget also calls for an additional $13.6 million in spending on Michigan’s child care program. “We support this Family Friendly Budget because it prioritizes many of the things parents need to raise our children,” said Michigan United family care activist, Roquesha O'Neal. The Whitmer budget would increase the number of children eligible by increasing the income eligibility threshold from 130% of the federal poverty level to 140%.
