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Fall is in the air, and the Mountain State Forest Festival is just around the corner. I remember taking my kids to the festival and the excitement it fostered in them.
One feature of the festival that I respect is the unlimited ride wristband at the carnival, which allows all kids, regardless of family income, to ride all the rides for one low discounted price. I am not sure how it started, but I believe it reflects the best intentions of parents and community leaders, that no child should be excluded from this great celebration.
I feel much the same way about the federal Child Tax Credit (CTC), designed to alleviate childhood poverty. Its bipartisan creation in1997 during a Republican controlled Congress is testament to the shared values that Americans have for uplifting children.
In 2021, an expanded version of the CTC helped cut American child poverty in half. However, Congress let these expansions expire at the end of that year.
The CTC helps low-income families provide better nutrition, pay rent and childcare expenses, and provide a more stable environment for kids.
There is strong evidence to show that it helps parents keep existing jobs and even find new jobs by improving financial stability in the home.
As our children enjoy this year's Forest Festival, please join me in encouraging Representative Alex Mooney along with Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin to restore CTC expansions and reject any tax legislation that does not.
Jon DiStefano
Elkins