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Advocacy Alert - NC Recipients Make Their Voices Heard at OnTrack WNC's Free Tax Preparation Site

We Need Your Help - Please contact our State legislators (linked below) and ask them to act now to protect the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for working families.

Some North Carolina legislators want to raise taxes on working families by weakening the NC EITC.  This week, people at OnTrack WNC’s free tax preparation program who are eligible to claim the NC EITC wrote postcards to their NC legislators to tell them why the NC EITC is important to them.

“Today I received the State Earned Income Tax Credit,” the postcard begins. “These dollars will help my family to….”  EITC recipients didn’t have to think long to be able to complete that sentence.  “Eat!” responded Maxine.  Paying for food, bills, and child care were a common themes of how families would put these dollars to use immediately.  Transportation was another area of need.  Ben noted that the EITC will help “put gas in my car.”

In 2010, 541 taxpayers filed through OnTrack WNC and, of those, 213 working people received the Earned Income Tax Credit.  Studies show that EITC dollars are spent quickly and locally, helping to boost local economies.  That boost is especially needed in today’s economy.

Charlie and Carrie, and their 7 month old son Sol, came to OnTrack WNC to file their taxes.  This year has been a struggle.  Charlie is a carpenter who has been looking for work.  Carrie’s hours were reduced at the school where she serves as a pre-school teacher.  They were relieved to receive the Earned Income Tax Credit, which they’ll use to pay the taxes they owe.  “I guess if we didn’t get this credit, we’d come up with the money from somewhere,” Charlie commented.  “But that would be money that we really need for other things.  I hope they don’t take this credit away from people who need it.”

Local community advocates also recognize the importance of the NC EITC.  “This policy puts money in people’s pockets, and, in turn, into our local economy,” commented Greg Borom of Children First/CIS.

“Work should help families meet their basic needs.”  Craig White of Center for Participatory Change agreed. He continued, “The NC EITC is critical to our community because it puts millions of dollars back into the local economy—and this is not the time to be pushing people out of the middle class!”

To learn more about the statewide initiative to save the NC EITC, visit this website.

 

Call to Action

You don’t have to be an EITC recipient to tell your NC legislators that you think the state EITC is an important economic stimulus that should not be weakened.  Join your voice with OnTrack WNC, our community, and our clients.  Call or e-mail both your NC Senate and NC House representatives today and ask them to vote NO on House Bill 93 and Senate Bill 117. (NC Senate listing here) (NC House listing here)

Or - it's as easy as following this link to fill in your name and contact information and send a note (you can use their pre-written note or customize) to the House Finance Committee that says you oppose House Bill 93.

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