Making Tax Credits Permanent Can Dramatically Reduce Child Poverty

Reduce child poverty by doing everything

Child tax credit is permanently changing

We can cut child poverty in half – permanently.

The Biden administration has just proposed expanding the support for workers and families adopted earlier this year, making permanent both an increase in the earned income tax credit for young workers and others who do not. not raise children and an extension of the full child tax credit to all families. He also proposes to extend the increased amount of the CTC (over $ 3,000 per child) until 2025.

These steps are important, but Congress must make all CTC changes permanent, including increased credit. Columbia University estimates that this new CTC will reduce child poverty by 45%! We can pay for this by asking the rich and the corporations to finally pay their fair share.

If you could cut child poverty in half, why not? I urge our Representatives and Senators to make the new CTC and EITC provisions permanent at 2021 levels in collection legislation.

Connie Hammond, Columbus

Columbus residents will see that

rail service is a great way to travel

How refreshing to see renewed interest in proving passenger rail service (Amtrak) to Columbus.

The people of this region, so poorly served by the passenger train, just don’t know how great this is a great way to travel. So much more space and comfort than other modes of transport. Once Columbus is connected to the passenger rail network, people will quickly see the benefits of rail transportation.

Sol Black, Reynoldsburg

Assistance must be extended to all

tenants eligible for economic recovery

Thank you for reporting on the success of the Move to Prosper project led by Amy Klaben (Friday column “The program helps vulnerable families thrive”).

It is heartwarming to see 10 vulnerable families remaining stable, especially during a pandemic, and expanding the project to 100 families is exciting. Yet in central Ohio there are several thousand equally worthy families who will not benefit from a move to Prosper. Anything they can get is kicked out.

As Americans cautiously return to their normal activities, stable and affordable housing for millions of tenants remains elusive. The pandemic has exacerbated our underlying housing crisis. Thousands of households are evicted and many face homelessness because they cannot pay the rent. Yet federal housing assistance only goes to one in four eligible tenants due to insufficient funding.

President Joe Biden has proposed building affordable housing in the United States, but Congress must do more by extending rent assistance to all eligible tenants so millions of families can keep a roof over their heads . Housing Choice Vouchers, the largest rental assistance program in the United States, allows low-income tenants to find secure housing they couldn’t afford. Studies show that families with stable housing earn higher wages and perform better in health and education.

I urge Senator Rob Portman and Representatives Troy Balderson and Joyce Beatty to extend rent assistance to all tenants eligible in economic recovery legislation this year.

Virginie Vogts, Columbus

The cicadas are coming, but there is

no need for dangerous pesticides

Unless you too have been clandestinely and incommunicado for 17 years, you will now know that the cicadas will soon be among us.

Please keep in mind that although noisy, big and unpleasant, cicadas are harmless to humans. They do not bite or sting people or pets and they do not need to be exterminated. Plus, they’re a valuable food source for native birds, reptiles, and mammals, each of which can be poisoned and killed by chemicals you could use to unnecessarily kill cicadas. Our dogs and cats might also suffer from eating poisonous cicadas.

Please put away pesticides and tolerate cicadas for the few weeks they will be with us.

Patricia DeMaria, Columbus