Ask your state legislator to stand with working families and put money back into the pockets of those who need it most.

In Governor Northam's budget, he included several tax changes that will result in individuals with low incomes paying a larger percentage. These regressive taxes, which have a bigger impact on families with low and moderate incomes, should be offset by making sure working families get the help they need.

Lawmakers have an opportunity to help correct Virginia’s “upside-down” tax code, by strengthening Virginia’s work credit, also known as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). This tax credit for working families boosts their incomes, allowing them to better meet basic needs. It’s a proven and effective policy for supporting working families who are struggling to make ends meet, including about 600,000 families in Virginia. Yet Virginia’s work credit is not as strong as it could be, because it is not refundable -- many families don’t get the full value of the credit they earned. Governor Northam included a refundable EITC in his budget last year, but left it out of his 2020 budget, while raising regressive taxes that affect low-income families the most.

The overwhelming majority of states with this type of credit have leveraged the power of refundability. Virginia legislators can choose to make our state credit refundable and make sure all families who get the EITC can receive the full credit they’ve earned.

Use the tool here to send an email to your legislators, educating them on EITC and letting them know where you stand on tax credits for working families.