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City Platform Section II, Step 16:
"Launch or support a citywide campaign to help ensure that low-income working families receive the federal Earned Income Tax Credit and other key benefits for which they might be eligible."
Local elected officials across the country have discovered a way to strengthen working families while bringing more federal dollars into the local economy: connecting eligible workers to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The EITC provides a financial boost to these families by reducing their tax burden and, in many cases, giving them a tax refund when they file their annual income tax return.
City Examples
Little Rock, Ark.
Little Rock is taking action to promote the EITC and offer low- and moderate-income working families free tax preparation services. Mayor Jim Dailey officially kicked off the local campaign to educate the public about EITC by declaring an Earned Income Tax Credit Day in Little Rock.
The city has hosted a free tax preparation site at City Hall to help city employees and residents claim the credit and has worked with a large number of partners to coordinate "Super Saturday" outreach and tax preparation.
To heighten awareness, the city distributed EITC information in city, county and DHS employee W-2s and residents' water bills, ran public service announcements, and reached out to the public through neighborhood centers with a special focus in 2006 on reaching displaced Katrina victims.
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Hattiesburg, Miss.
Astonished to find out that in a community of only 50,000, the IRS estimated that approximately $5 million was not being claimed by EITC-eligible filers, Mayor Johnny DuPree took action to put those dollars back in families' pockets.
Mayor Dupree led the city's effort by initially joining forces with a local financial institution, the IRS, and AARP to launch the Mayor's Financial Education Initiative. Mayor DuPree and city councilmembers have spoken on local radio interviews to notify constituents about the EITC.
City leaders and municipal staff have conducted newspaper and television interviews, spoken at neighborhood associations and teacher meetings, and posted pamphlets in stores, schools, and churches. Overall, volunteers have helped prepare 913 returns equaling an increase of more than $1.8 million for Hattiesburg families.
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Resources
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