Ryan Hamilton Testimony on H.F. 1938 (Omnibus Tax Bill) in Support of Child Tax Credit

Chair Gomez and members of the committee. My name is Ryan Hamilton, I appear on behalf of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Minnesota.

Family economics should be the top priority in state budget deliberations because families are doing the essential work of raising the next generation of builders, caregivers, and artists.  

We are encouraged that the Governor opened the Session by issuing a bold commitment to make Minnesota the best state in the nation to raise kids and be a kid. We are also encouraged that many in this body have expressed a desire to support that goal. 

Unfortunately, the tax target didn’t match the pro-family rhetoric.

This House CTC proposal has several good elements that make the most of that target- it is permanent, it includes a cost-of-living adjustment, and it doesn’t limit the number kids per household who receive the credit.

The Walz/Flanagan proposal is better, as it proposes a significantly larger fiscal commitment to children and its structure makes it easier for parents to understand exactly what they qualify for.

HF1369 is still the best CTC proposal that this committee has seen because it would provide much needed economic relief and tax justice to the broadest range of households.

Would that bill fit into this target? No. But to be the best, we must be willing to make bold moves.

Instead of trying to fit families into a target, let’s shift the paradigm and make family economic security THE target. A stable workforce, vibrant communities, and a sustainable tax base are all biproducts of economically secure families.

Minnesota has the prosperity to provide one billion dollars per year in direct economic relief to families.

An audacious, fully funded CTC would accomplish the function of several other expenditures by providing families with the resources and agency to address their unique needs. 

That’s the commitment necessary to make Minnesota the best state in the nation to live, work, and raise children.