For Immediate Release
Jan. 31, 2020
Contact:
Alex Rossman
CELL: 517-775-9053
NOTE: This event was streamed and video is available on Facebook, and photos are available upon request.
EITC Awareness Day helps spotlight credit signed by President Ford and its benefits to West Michigan workers
GRAND RAPIDS—State and community officials, policy advocates, local residents and the curator of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum gathered today to recognize President Ford’s role in creating the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the credit’s lasting impact on the working families who receive it. The event coincided with EITC Awareness Day, a national effort organized by the IRS and its partners to promote the EITC and ensure every qualified worker claims and receives their tax credit.
The federal Earned Income Tax Credit was signed into law in 1975 by Michigan’s own President Gerald R. Ford. Created by a Republican president and a Democratic majority in Congress, the EITC has continued to have strong bipartisan support ever since. The six U.S. presidents who succeeded President Ford all signed a federal EITC expansion into law.
“With a signature of his executive pen in 1975, President Ford helped establish the Earned Income Tax Credit, laying the foundation for important expansions and improvements on it at both the federal and state level in the decades that followed,” said Donald Holloway, Curator at the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum. “The EITC continues to be an invaluable tool in helping reduce poverty for workers and their families, and in turn, a living, working part of President Ford’s legacy.”
In addition to the federal EITC, a state EITC based on the federal credit was established in 2006 under similarly bipartisan circumstances. The Michigan EITC was created under Republican majorities in the Michigan House and Senate, spearheaded by former West Michigan Senator and Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema, and signed into law by Gov. Jennifer Granholm.
Both credits have a significant impact on reducing poverty for families in Grand Rapids and around the state. In Kent County for the 2017 tax year, about 45,230 (14.5 percent) of taxpayers received the Michigan EITC at an average of $143, spending $6.46 million locally.
Grand Rapids resident Rebeca Arredondo is one of those workers who has benefited from the EITC, and shared her personal perspective at today’s event.
“With school loans to pay and all the bills for my family’s basic needs like housing, utilities and car insurance, I pretty much have to live paycheck to paycheck. It makes it extremely hard to save for unexpected bills, school loans and property taxes without getting a yearly return,” Arredondo said. “The EITC gives me peace of mind knowing that when I get my refund I’m able to put it toward my school loans, car repairs or any other unexpected situation, plus it’s what I always use to afford to pay my property taxes. Thanks to my EITC, I’ve managed to keep my home and give security and stability to my son.”
Helping local workers understand what the EITC is and find out if they are eligible is vital to the credit’s success, so much so that the Kent County Tax Credit Coalition was created in 2002 for that very purpose. The Coalition offers free tax return preparation, assistance with filing for the EITC and other tax credit claims, and financial literacy courses. This year, the Coalition will provide free tax preparation and e-filing services for workers at 14 sites throughout Kent County.
Over the life of the program, the Kent County Tax Credit Coalition has helped bring over $96 million in tax refunds back into the community and served over 95,000 taxpayers. In 2019, it prepared more than 7,000 returns, generating $6.2 million in refunds and credits like the EITC.
“The EITC is an extremely effective tool in both fighting poverty and stimulating the local economy, but it only works if the people who qualify for it know about it,” said Brenda Brame, Program Manager for the Kent County Tax Credit Coalition at the Heart of West Michigan United Way. “The benefits of the EITC have a ripple throughout our community, as the money workers get back is often spent locally on groceries, car repairs, medical care, or a new appliance. We hope businesses, policymakers and advocates will join us in spreading the word and promoting the EITC this and every tax season.”
The Michigan League for Public Policy has been working since 1912 to reduce poverty, encourage economic security and promote racial equity, and the federal and state EITC do all three. But it can do much more. The Michigan EITC was established at 20 percent of the federal credit. In 2011, it was drastically cut down to 6 percent of the federal credit. Several bills are currently before the Michigan Legislature that would restore the state credit, including those cosponsored by legislators from West Michigan. Public polling shows strong support for expanding the EITC as well.
“Throughout its history, the EITC has had nearly universal support—by Democrats and Republicans, rural and urban residents, and businesses and workers,” said Gilda Z. Jacobs, President and CEO for the League. “Expanding the EITC has strong public support, and carrying on the legacies of President Ford and my former colleague Senator Sikkema, West Michigan elected officials are again helping lead the way. We hope lawmakers from both sides of the aisle and across the state can work together to restore our state EITC, better support Michigan’s struggling families, and unleash more of the credit’s purchasing power in Michigan’s local communities.”
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The Michigan League for Public Policy, www.mlpp.org, is a nonprofit policy institute focused on opportunity for all. Its mission is to advance economic security, racial equity, health and well-being for all people in Michigan through policy change. It is the only state-level organization that addresses poverty in a comprehensive way.
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
