Posted on 07/27/2003 5:21:22 PM PDT by Kudsman
Some Parents Question Wisdom of Tax Cuts
By DAVID CRARY For millions of middle-class families, the check is in the mail _ $400, $800, perhaps more _ courtesy of Congress. Parents benefiting from the expanded child tax credit will welcome the cash, but some question the wisdom of such payouts at a time of deficits and cutbacks.
"I'd rather have the public services and the public schools have the money they need," said Jean Powers, 41, a mother of two from Beaverton, Ore. "I'm not happy with it."
Even more displeased are some of the low-income parents not receiving the checks _ notably those who earn less than roughly $26,000 and are excluded from the credit because they don't pay enough federal income tax.
"I'm very angry," said Linda Hayes, 40, an office manager in Grand Rapids, Mich. A single mother, she supports a 14-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter on a $23,000 salary.
"I'm tired of working hard and still not being able to provide properly for my children," she said. "I'm tired of having to choose canned vegetables instead of fresh ones. I feel I don't count, my kids don't count."
She said some better-off families might simply invest their payments; she would have used hers to get car repairs and corrective lens for her son, who lacks medical insurance.
The first round of rebate checks for the child tax credit were mailed out Friday, aimed primarily at families earning $26,000 to $110,000 with children under 17. Worth up to $400 per child, the checks are the result of a tax cut enacted in May.
"I'm happy to get money in the summer because money is tight," said Tom Franke, a high school teacher, swim coach and father of two from Maple Grove, Minn. But he questioned whether the credit made sense as the federal deficit grows.
"The government is cutting our funding to our schools, and that makes me a little bit nervous. We needed extra money to fund our war," he said. "There are better ways to spend this money."
Randi Born of Plymouth, Minn., said the checks will be welcome at a time when her two teenage sons are preparing to return to school
"It is just kind of like a little gift," said Born. "If I was good person I would donate it. But maybe what the government wants me to do is to spend it and stimulate the economy."
The rebate checks are to be mailed by Aug. 8 to more than 25 million taxpayers. Critics contend the program should be extended to 7 million more low-income households with about 12 million children.
Melinda Dutton, director of policy at the New York branch of the Children's Defense Fund, said the economic stimulus would be greater if the House of Representatives dropped its opposition to including those poor families.
"Nobody is more likely to put it right into the economy than low-income working families." she said. "They are struggling to pay for child care, rent, groceries."
That argument resonated with Anna Connor, a mother of two from Albany, N.Y.
"It's not going to make a big difference for me," she said of her expected check. "I feel bad for the people who need it and aren't going to get it."
"There are better ways to stimulate the economy," agreed Eileen Holand, a real estate agent and mother of three from New Richmond, Wis.
Joan Medlen of Portland, Ore., who has two children, was pleased to hear about the payment.
But with a teenager suffering from Down syndrome and autism, the money won't go far, Medlen said. Unlike some states, Oregon doesn't provide financial assistance to middle-class families that have children with disabilities.
"We put out significant money for skilled care for our child," she said. "Eight-hundred dollars, while helpful, doesn't even make a dent."
Curt Roseman, 32, of Cary, N.C., said the check for his two children would likely go into their college savings plan, not for a shopping spree.
"Not until I see the economy turn around a little more," said Roseman, a utility company employee. "Until people see unemployment rates go down, they're not going to spend discretionary cash."
Paul Lynch, 54, a parks worker in Cincinnati, said his check will go toward his 13-year-old son's tuition at a parochial school.
"It's useful," he said. "As far as stimulating the economy, I don't think so. They (Washington) have tried everything, and nothing seems to work."
But Toby Placencia, 45, of Vancouver, Wash., had no complaints and no quibbling. "Any time the government doesn't take more money, it's a good idea," he said.
What an idiot!She could take the money, buy some educational materials with it, teach her own kids (even after school cause they're probably gonna need it no matter HOW much money the school gets) and use the rest to do for herself and her family!
LOL. Thx for the correction. I knew I could count on some FRiends to accurately dissect the PC and enlightened adjectives and adverbs that the Libs like to use as qualifiers to fit the message of the agenda.
What Libs really mean to say is they (the ever beneficent,bleeding heart,nothing is fair till we all feel equal pain, courtesy of the government crowd) will be the ones to say who pays enough!! How dare the citizenry have a say in what is fair taxation for fair representation!!! What are you going to do? Have a Tea Party for crying out loud. [/sarcasm]
BTW it is my opinion that alot of Representatives ain't been representing Americans a whole lot lately. We are getting pretty tangled up with the UN and UNESCO again. :-(
I wish I could find the article. If anyone can help I would appreciate your assistance in sharing it with our Freepers. The author is Jennifer C. Kerr and it is AP wire.
An obvious product of the public school system. No concept of basic economics or public policy. Hey, lady. If you don't want the money: DONATE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE. Good grief. Patheticly stupid.
How can I say this? I actually believed my Congressman, Pete Sessions, when my family and I met him in his office about a month ago.
When I thanked him for his vote on the most recent round of tax cuts, he said 'there's more coming'. He understands that it's going to take a sustained fiscal effort to get this economy back on track.
As for our share of the tax credit, my wife has already spent it....whoodathunkit?
Honey...I was only kidding...POW...WHAP...OUCH!!!
Actually, we used the proceeds to cover our lodging bills from vacation.
Agreed. And the other thing we have to do is tell the Government to quit raising the bar as to who is classified poor. Poorness is a subjective state IMO. It is up to the one affixing the label what being poor constitutes. To the Libs that like to play class warfare someone earning $26,000 is poor. Cash welfare, food, housing, health care, utilities, transportation, even "weatherization" of homes is paid by taxpayers to freeloaders (along with the Government salaries of the "providers"). All these (and any benis i forgot) add up to $26,000 and beyond. So why would an entry level position where you had to pass a drug/sobriety test and maintain regular attendance sound attractive? Especially when you have communist enablers speaking on the floor of the House and Senate about giving more of other people's money to you for doing squat! I guess they figure they need a raise. After all cigarette and booze taxes are rising as fast as the price of good paying instant Lotto jackpots. Not to mention the Indians are building this nice new "sovereign" casino to feed this new enslaving vice. ;-)
Why can't she grow her own vegetables and freeze or can them herself? Not very enterprising, is she?
I would like to add that the high-income parents not receiving the checks _ notably those who earn more than roughly $110,000 and are excluded from the credit even though they pay a mind boggling amount of income tax.
becuase
?
See what happens when we get mad and scream. We say things we don't mean. LOL. To borrow a lib phrase I feel your pain.
I do it all the time too. Its not that series. ;-)
What ya got in mind partner?
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