Latino Voices

Lawmakers Greenlight State-Level Child Tax Credit in Illinois Budget, Pending Pritzker’s Approval


Illinois lawmakers on Wednesday morning finalized a $53.1 billion state budget for the upcoming fiscal year that designates $50 million in funding for a new child tax credit.

For low- and middle-class families feeling the pressures from the rising costs of living, the passing of a state-level child tax credit is a “big win,” said Ameya Pawar, a senior advisor at Economic Security Project and former alderperson of Chicago's 47th Ward.

“We see this as a part of an alliance with the governor's agenda to make Illinois the best place to start and raise a family,” Pawar said. “These dollars are going to make it possible for families, for kids between zero and 12, to not have to choose between buying diapers, or putting food on the table, or buying books. It really also demonstrates to federal policymakers why we need a more humane safety net.”

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Upon final budget approval from Gov. J.B. Pritzker, working parents who are at or below the state median income of $75,000 for joint tax filers and $50,000 for single parents, will be eligible to receive an average tax credit between $300 and $600 per household for children under the age of 12.

“We know that right there is going to impact 1.4 million children in our state, which is huge. It's not enough, but it's a huge beginning,” said Palenque LSNA Executive Director Juliet de Jesus Alejandre. “This is a move towards stability that people need. But what we need to continue to do is find many different ways for economic justice to happen for our families.”

According to a recent study by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute, the child tax credit would affect more than 840,000 households with children across the state. The study also claims the tax credit will help decrease childhood poverty and increase the state’s economy.

“When we reduce childhood poverty, we see better outcomes,” Pawar said. “Not only is it humane and the right thing to do, but it benefits us in the near and long term. And of course, giving people money means that they will spend that money. Which will result in economic activity. Which will create jobs, which creates a flywheel for economic development. Which is good for everybody.”


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