Working moms like Reyna deserve tax breaks

Reyna is one of my constituents in the Westlake area of ​​Los Angeles. She is the proud mother of three boys aged 19, 12 and six.

Reyna worked as a domestic worker for over a year, earning less than $30,000 a year. Although she is happy to have a permanent job, her working hours are not always guaranteed.

This year, with her work hours cut, Reyna had to make difficult decisions that no one else had to make: pay for electricity and groceries to keep her kids warm and hungry, or pay rent. He ventured into the most pressing need for the well-being of his children and overdue rent.

He later received free tax training from Central City Neighborhood Partners (CCNP), a local non-profit that provides free tax training to more than 1,800 IRS-certified Angeleno residents each year.

The thousands of dollars they received in tax credits increased their tax refunds, helped pay rent, and kept their home.

Unfortunately, every year that the benefits of the pandemic wear off, your tax return goes down. This year, he received only $2,500, less than in previous years. At the same time, spending on basic needs such as rent, utilities and food continues to rise.

Because Rayna’s youngest son is six years old, he will not be able to claim the $1,083 Toddler Tax Credit next year. Currently, only families with children under the age of 6 are eligible to receive this vital loan.

However, we know that the cost of raising a child does not end at the age of six. I saw it myself, being the father of two children. That’s why I filed AB 1128 to expand eligibility for the Young Child Tax Credit to households with dependents that earn less than $30,000 per person.

I’m fighting for this proposal so that families like Reina’s can continue to claim the extra $1,083 on tax returns until their youngest child turns 18, or 24 if they go to college. We estimate that an additional 700,000 families, including another 1 million children, will benefit from the Young Child Tax Credit if this proposal becomes law. That means an additional $1,083 for rent, home maintenance, and other necessary needs.

Direct cash transfer policies are key to fighting poverty, reducing financial stress and significantly improving the lives of women and families. They also help reduce the number of Hispanic children living in poverty, which is currently much higher than that of white children.

Policies like mine are not just about me, as there is an encouraging push in states across the country to expand tax credits that go directly into the pockets of families in 10 states. Legislators in states from our home in California to Colorado to our nation’s capital in Washington, DC, have approved proposals that will send more money to working families this year and next. These policies range from removing the income cap for last year’s Youth Tax Credit here in California to New Jersey, where families with children under 6 can receive $500 from their own Young Child Tax Credit.

While California and other states have made great strides, much remains to be done. That’s why we need AB 1128: it will be an additional $1,083 for eligible families for utility bills, rent, and food purchases, in addition to their other expenses.

An extra $1,083 a year can go a long way for moms like Reyna. It’s time for our families to get the tax breaks and benefits they deserve.


Assembly Deputy Miguel Santiago is the Chairman of the Government Organizing Committee of the Assembly. It represents the 54th district, consisting of the cities of Los Angeles, Commerce, Montebello, and Vernon.

Author: Reina Bonilla Palacios and Assemblyman Miguel Santiago
Source: La Opinion

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