Parents urge better outreach for DC child tax credit, cite guaranteed-income pilot

Several parents and program participants urged the Committee on Business and Economic Development to improve outreach so eligible District families actually receive the recently passed local child tax credit and other cash-support programs.

At a committee hearing, several witnesses described how the child tax credit and guaranteed-income pilots have helped their families and asked the Council and District agencies to make the benefits easier to access. "The child tax credit will help parents pay for education programs and transportation," said Mrs. Jackson, a Mothers Outreach Network participant. "But how are you gonna get the message out to people that don't know they can receive a tax credit?"

Why it matters: The witnesses said the credit and related pilots provide short-term relief for families with young children but that some eligible residents may not file taxes or otherwise receive…