News Release: Michigan Catholic Conference Releases Major Study Calling For a Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 18, 2002

LANSING—The Michigan Catholic Conference (MCC) today released an important public policy study entitled, A Hand Up for Michigan Workers: Creating a State Earned Income Tax Credit. Anderson Economic Group, a Lansing-based consulting group specializing in economics and public policy, prepared the study for the MCC.

“The Michigan Catholic Conference has advocated a Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for several years,” said Paul A. Long, Vice President for Public Policy with the MCC. “We are pleased that Patrick Anderson and the Anderson Economic Group has written this report providing policymaker and opinion leaders with the necessary data and analysis on a State of Michigan EITC.”

The Federal EITC provides significant tax relief to workers, primarily those with families who do not otherwise earn enough after taxes to raise their family above the poverty level. Indeed, the Federal EITC lifts more children out of poverty than any other federal program.

“We have eliminated many barriers towards working out of poverty,” said Patrick Anderson, principal of Anderson Economic Group. “Yet, we have inadvertently increased other barriers in the form of extremely high payroll taxes. These payroll taxes provide a punishing disincentive to working for those who are trying to climb the ladder into the middle class. One powerful way of addressing these punishing disincentives is through an EITC.”

“As we continue to look for measures that increase the incentive to work, the EITC is a logical next step,” added Long. “The EITC is a pro-work, pro-family measure. It provides no benefit to an individual who chooses not to work—but a very nice benefit for someone who, of their own initiative, goes to work.”

Several major conclusions can be drawn from this study:

“Letting individuals keep their earnings—rather than face effective tax rates that start above 20%—would strongly encourage work and family independence,” noted Anderson.

“This study clearly demonstrates that a Michigan EITC would provide significant assistance to adults who are trying to work and care for children. The State of Michigan should join the eleven other states that have adopted state earned income tax credits so as to ensure that Michigan’s working families will not have to raise their children in poverty,” concluded Long.

Also in attendance at today’s briefing were Sharon Parks of the Michigan League for Human Services, Sharon Peters of the Michigan Coalition on Children and Families, and Brad Snavely of the Michigan Family Forum.

The Michigan Catholic Conference is the public policy voice for the Catholic Church in this state.

For a complete copy of the report, visit our websites at: www.AndersonEconomicGroup.com or www.micatholic.org.

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

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