A version of this column originally appeared in The Alpena News.
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a tax credit for working people with low incomes.
It puts money in the pockets of workers who need it most while getting spent at local businesses on immediate expenses like utility bills, groceries, clothing and school supplies for kids, car repairs, and more.
About 750,000 Michigan households receive the EITC, helping residents in every part of the state — rural and urban areas and all counties and political districts — make ends meet.
Recent efforts at the state and national level are striving to boost the EITC’s benefits for Michigan workers and families even more.
For the second year in a row, the IRS will allow tax filers a “lookback” provision to calculate their EITC using either their 2019 or 2021 income, whichever is higher. That ensures work disruptions or job loss do not diminish residents’ credit.
In the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Congress expanded eligibility for workers without children and eliminated previous age restrictions. An estimated 600,000 Michigan workers without children will benefit from the EITC expansion in ARPA this year.
While those provisions in ARPA are only temporary, the federal Build Back Better proposal would make the expanded EITC eligibility permanent.
Hope remains that a deal can be secured in the U.S. Senate to address the EITC and many other policy needs of Michigan and American residents.
Similar work is being done at the state level to improve the EITC.
On Dec. 8, 2021, the Michigan Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on Senate Bill 417, legislation sponsored by Republican state Sen. Wayne Schmidt to increase the Michigan EITC to 30% of the federal credit.
Under that legislation, the maximum state EITC would increase from $32.58 to $162.90 for workers without qualifying children and raise the credit from $150 to $750 for the average Michigan family. A variety of groups supported Sen. Schmidt’s bill in committee, including the Michigan League for Public Policy, the Small Business Association of Michigan, and the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association.
In her State of the State address last week, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer advocated for increasing the Michigan EITC. The governor has been a longstanding champion of the EITC during her time in the Legislature and in the governor’s office.
In her speech, Gov. Whitmer noted that raising the state EITC will help reach her goal of lifting 100,000 working families out of poverty and stands to benefit nearly 1 million kids — nearly half the kids in Michigan.
Raising the state EITC could put hundreds of dollars more into local residents’ pockets while boosting economic activity in the four-county area by upwards of $2 million.
You can go to mlpp.org to find state and county fact sheets on the benefits of the Michigan EITC — and the uptick in impact on local households and businesses of increasing it.
The EITC has a strong history of bipartisan support and has always managed to do well amid interesting political dynamics. The federal EITC was signed into law in 1975 by President Gerald R. Ford, a Michigan Republican, and passed with a Democratic majority in Congress.
And the state EITC was created in 2006 with a Republican-led Legislature and signed into law by Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm.
With Michigan currently in another situation of shared power and Sen. Schmidt’s bill and Gov. Whitmer’s proposal, the EITC has another opportunity for bipartisan agreement.
The EITC is a proven anti-poverty tool that benefits Michigan residents and small businesses, especially during the pandemic, and we hope policymakers will continue the momentum and work together to pass a long-awaited increase to the Michigan EITC.
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.
