Lawmakers have introduced new legislation that would increase the state’s child tax credits for working families in an effort to quell poverty.
The New York State Working Families Tax Credit would increase the existing refund per child from $500 to $1,500.
It would include families in the lowest income levels, and be paid out quarterly to help them with paying for household utilities, food, clothing, and other expenses.
Those who make less than $25,000 as an individual, or $50,000 as a couple would qualify for the new benefit.
The latest data on poverty in New York shows that nearly 14% of the population is living in poverty. That comes out to approximately 2.7 million people.
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