West Virginia Public News Service – Some Republican lawmakers say a state Earned Income Tax Credit would add jobs by rebuilding West Virginia’s workforce. Read
The EITC is a line on federal tax forms that rewards work by low-income families. About half of states also have a state EITC. Del. Matthew Rohrbach, R-Cabell County, said some GOP members want to add West Virginia. By rewarding people for taking low-wage employment, he said, the tax credit could reduce the number of folks who feel hopeless and disconnected from the job market. In turn, Rohrbach said, a happier workforce would make the state more appealing to employers.
“This is an attempt to keep people here, get them working, get our workforce numbers up, get our participation numbers up,” he said, “and then, hopefully, we can attract better-paying employers.”
The West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy has estimated that a state EITC one-seventh the size of the federal one would cost $47 million a year and help 140,000 working-poor households.