Senate funds, enacts Sen. Vitelli bill to help more Mainers access tax assistance
AUGUSTA — On Friday, July 2, the Senate funded and enacted a bill from Sen. Eloise Vitelli, D-Arrowsic. LD 1651, “An Act To Support Working Families through Outreach and Education about Tax Credits for Persons of Low Income,” will help more Mainers get the most out of their tax return by providing support to CA$H Maine.
“CA$H Maine does important work making sure Mainers get all of the tax credits they are entitled to, which can make a huge difference for people and their families,” said Sen. Vitelli. “This is especially true now, when the expanded Child Tax Credit can provide substantial relief to families – if they know they’re eligible. In addition to helping people recover these necessary funds, CA$H also connects people with other tools and resources so they can reach their financial goals. In order for CA$H to continue providing these vital services and get help to more hardworking Mainers, they need funding. I’m so grateful to my colleagues in the Senate and House for giving their support to this bill.”
As amended, LD 1651 would make financial tools, education and resources available to more Mainers by providing funding to CA$H Maine.
“Central to CA$H Maine’s services is free tax preparation. From 2003-2020 CA$H Maine has filed more than 53,000 federal and state tax returns and helped clients claim more than $80 million worth of federal tax refunds including more than $28 million in Earned Income Tax Credit,” said Janet Smith with CA$H Maine, in testimony supporting the bill.
Though the Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC, is worth an average of $2,107, each year about 20 percent of eligible Mainers fail to take advantage of it. That’s money left on the table, thanks in large part to a lack of awareness and the complexities of eligibility, with one-third of the EITC eligible population changing every year.
The bill is also supported by United Way of Maine and Maine Equal Justice.
LD 1651 now goes to the desk of Gov. Janet Mills, who has 10 days to sign the bill into law, veto it or allow it to become law without her signature.
