A Kentucky youth advocacy group is calling for state earned income tax credits as a means to get families with children out of poverty.
Newly released U.S. Census Bureau data reveals that 25 percent of Kentucky children live below the poverty line. This is not a significant change from the 2015 estimate of 25.9 percent.
Advocacy group Kentucky Youth Advocates said, however, the percent of Kentucky children living in poverty remains higher since the Great Recession began in 2008, when it was 23.5 percent. KYA said economic well-being is the ‘most pervasive’ aspect of a child’s life.
The group points to refundable tax credits as a way for families to rise above the poverty line.
Governor Matt Bevin has called for tax reform.Whether this will come up in a special session this Fall - as has been proposed - is unknown.
Some lawmakers have pre-filed a bill for the 2018 regular session addressing numerous taxes, including allowing a refundable Kentucky earned income tax credit.
KYA said the commonwealth is the fourth highest in child poverty among states.
