TAXES: Don't let vital tax benefit expire

I certainly agree with state Rep. Drew Stokesbary’s Viewpoint, “It’s time to reform Washington’s most regressive tax” (TNT, 9-13).

That school districts must rely on local property taxes for the most basic school funding is amazingly shortsighted. Our kids are our future!

The top 1 percent of Washington state’s households pay about 3 percent of their incomes in Washington state taxes, while the poorest 20 percent of residents pay about 17 percent.

The Earned Income Tax Credit is a federal income tax credit for low-income workers. But important improvements to it are set to expire. Most EITC recipients get the credit for two years or less. We need to support this lifeline.

Yes, we need tax reform, both state and federal. One child in five in the U.S. lives in poverty, the highest of any major country. Our leaders need to hear from us.

This story was originally published September 15, 2015 at 12:51 PM with the headline "TAXES: Don't let vital tax benefit expire."