Credits for 230,000 Arkansas children at risk if Congress doesn't act.

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families applauds Attorney General Dustin McDaniel's leadership in calling for an extension of the refundable Child Tax Credit. We are proud to see that he, Sheriff Doc Holladay and Police Chief Herman Hutton stepped forward today to call for this important extension.

Children in poverty are more likely to enter the justice system as juveniles and as adults; the refundable Child Tax Credit helps keep families out of poverty. Currently, families only get the refundable credit, which is 15 percent of earned income up to a maximum of $1,000 per child, once they have earned at least $3,000 per year.

If Congress does not act, the earning threshold would rise from $3,000 to $12,850 per household. This would devastate working families and force about 230,000 children in Arkansas to lose their credit or see it reduced, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

The Child Tax Credit is one of the most effective ways to fight chronic poverty in our state. We cannot afford to move backwards-especially as we are working so hard in other areas to help families become self sufficient.

Rich Huddleston,
AACF Executive Director

For more information on today's event, visit http://www.fightcrime.org/newsroom