06-R 027

2006 -- S 2078

Enacted 01/17/06

S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

PROCLAIMING JANUARY 17TH AS "EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT AWARENESS

DAY"

Introduced By: Senators Metts, Pichardo, Perry, C Levesque, and Paiva-Weed

Date Introduced: January 17, 2006

     WHEREAS, In recent years the Federal and State Governments' Earned Income Tax

Credit (EITC) has provided over $100 million per year to low-income working families; and

     WHEREAS, The EITC is the largest federal aid program. The main purpose of the

program is to reduce poverty, supplement wages, and help low-income families build assets; and

     WHEREAS, Restricting eligibility to workers, the EITC promotes increased participation

within the workforce. The monies spent and saved by recipients of the EITC have a positive

economic impact on the State of Rhode Island and particularly on the communities where the

recipients reside. There may be as much as $35 million of the EITC going to unclaimed taxes in

Rhode Island each year; and

     WHEREAS, Through local Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) centers, many

volunteers and community agencies throughout Rhode Island are providing free income tax

assistance to low-income families and are assisting them in applying for the EITC; and

     WHEREAS, VITA programs are actively working to decrease the amount of unclaimed

EITC to insure that it is received by those who have worked for it by reaching out to low-income

working families who are not aware that they are eligible for these funds. The number of VITA

centers in Rhode Island has grown from 9 to 36 over the last five years; and

     WHEREAS, Today signals the start of a new season of these free tax preparation centers

and their EITC outreach; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby proclaims January 17, 2006 as "Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day" and

recognizes the importance of the Earned Income Tax Credit to low-income working families in

Rhode Island. This Senate applauds the dedicated efforts of the volunteers and agencies of the

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program for providing free tax preparation centers in Rhode

Island; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to each of the 36 VITA centers in Rhode Island.

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LC00761

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