FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Progress Michigan
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Contact: Jessica Tramontana, 517.974.6302, jtramontana@progressmichigan.org
HB 5684 and 5685 give tax credit for fetuses past 12 weeks gestation, would cost taxpayers up to $10 MILLION
LANSING – Today Lansing Republicans held a hearing on House Bills 5684 and 5685 in the Tax Policy Committee, which would give a tax credit for unborn fetuses past 12 weeks of gestation. After Lansing Republicans eliminated a state tax credit for parents with children last year, these bills would send a clear message to parents that “your kids don’t count.” The nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency estimates that the bills will cost taxpayers $5-10 MILLION on an annual basis.
“It’s clear Lansing Republicans have the wrong priorities by wasting time on these extreme bills,” said Zack Pohl, Executive Director of Progress Michigan. “This is really a backdoor way of passing extreme personhood legislation, which has been rejected by voters in states across the country. Even worse, this would create a special new tax credit for unborn fetuses, after Lansing Republicans eliminated the tax credit for living, breathing children last year. It’s time for our elected leaders to get their priorities straight and start working together to create good jobs and improve education.”
According to the Michigan League for Public Policy, 341,000 of Michigan’s children live in high poverty areas, and Michigan is ranked the 44th worst percentage (with No 1. being the best or lowest indicator) of children living in poverty. An assault on working families has plunged more children into poverty by the Republican legislature’s decisions to slash funding for the Earned Income Tax Credit and the child-care subsidy, which both helped low-income families.
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