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| Greater Hartford Interfaith Coalition for Equity and Justice |
| GHICEJ Chairman’s Comments at State Capitol in support of a State Earned Income Tax Credit January 31st, 2008 |
Glastonbury, and I am the newly elected Chairman of the Greater Hartford Interfaith Coalition for Equity and Justice—a
faith movement acting for a just society. I am here today, speaking on behalf of our 32 member congregations,
speaking in alliance with other faith-based justice organizations like United Action Connecticut, speaking in alliance
with the Connecticut Catholic Conference, speaking with the question of the Hebrew prophet ringing in my ears: “What
does God require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God?,” speaking with the firm
belief, speaking with the fervent belief, that passage of the Earned Income Tax Credit in CT is one, critical step on the
path to a just society, one critical step in bringing much-needed relief to our state’s low income workers and their
families.
We are grateful that so many legislators, in bipartisan fashion, have pledged their support in passing this legislation
this year. We understand and agree that with the national economy moving into recession both national and state
economic stimulus packages are necessary. The Earned Income Tax Credit for low income people is a logical
component of such a stimulus package. However! However, I also want to stress that we in the faith community, our
allies, and certainly many of the legislators who are here today were calling for the Earned Income Tax Credit long
before their was the threat of recession. The reality is, the recession for low income workers started long before the
sub-prime mortgage fiasco which they had nothing to do with. Low income workers have been gouged at grocery
stores, pummeled at the pumps, harassed in housing, jostled in jobs, abandoned in their access to quality, affordable
healthcare. Low income workers have been stretched and strangled and squeezed to the limit and the only difference
now is that Wall Street feels it too. Now we call it a recession, but recession for low income workers is a chronic,
persistent feature of our economy. The Earned Income Tax Credit will bring some much needed relief. Yes, it belongs
as the centerpiece of any economic stimulus package, but it is still long overdue.
Yesterday, a middle-aged couple came to see me. They are both temporarily out of work due to medical issues. They
manage their money well. They don’t live beyond their means. Even so, they have no money—no cushion—to get
through a crisis should one arise. Their car broke down. The first mechanic said $1200. They found another mechanic
who said $900, so they had the car towed there. However, when the second mechanic started doing the work he
discovered further problems with the car—a new radiator was essential. The cost now would be $1400. What could
they do? Without a car, they are stranded and won’t be able to get back to work when they are ready. They had the
mechanic fix the car. When they went to pick it up, the mechanic had only charged them half price. “I know you need it
more than me,” he said. Then they came to me. I was able to write them a check for $300. I have a fund which my
church has created precisely for this purpose. I note that churches, synagogues and mosques are writing these kinds
of checks, when they can, more and more. And, at least for me, it’s rarely homeless and long-term unemployed people
to whom these checks are written. It’s people with steady jobs. What do they need the money for? Diapers, baby
formula, medical co-pays, registering for courses, car repair, gasoline, groceries, computers, Christmas gifts, school
clothes, school supplies. And I know we in the faith community will keep writing these checks as we can. I know there
are those in the business community who will keep doing what the mechanic did for my parishioners, as they are able.
Today we are asking our state government to do something similar, but with one difference. We are not asking for
charity. We are not asking for a handout. We are asking for justice, for a more equitable and less regressive sharing
of the tax burden. We are asking simply that poor and low income workers retain more of the money they have
already earned through their labor.
I ask us all to look around the room. Look at Connecticut. Let us proclaim Connecticut’s character here today.
Connecticut does care about poor and low-income working families. Connecticut does care about doing justice.
Connecticut does love kindness. Connecticut does walk humbly with God who is named and understood and
worshipped in many different ways. In keeping with that character, let us, this year, finally create the Earned Income
Tax Credit in CT. Thank you and God bless you.
faith movement acting for a just society. I am here today, speaking on behalf of our 32 member congregations,
speaking in alliance with other faith-based justice organizations like United Action Connecticut, speaking in alliance
with the Connecticut Catholic Conference, speaking with the question of the Hebrew prophet ringing in my ears: “What
does God require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with God?,” speaking with the firm
belief, speaking with the fervent belief, that passage of the Earned Income Tax Credit in CT is one, critical step on the
path to a just society, one critical step in bringing much-needed relief to our state’s low income workers and their
families.
We are grateful that so many legislators, in bipartisan fashion, have pledged their support in passing this legislation
this year. We understand and agree that with the national economy moving into recession both national and state
economic stimulus packages are necessary. The Earned Income Tax Credit for low income people is a logical
component of such a stimulus package. However! However, I also want to stress that we in the faith community, our
allies, and certainly many of the legislators who are here today were calling for the Earned Income Tax Credit long
before their was the threat of recession. The reality is, the recession for low income workers started long before the
sub-prime mortgage fiasco which they had nothing to do with. Low income workers have been gouged at grocery
stores, pummeled at the pumps, harassed in housing, jostled in jobs, abandoned in their access to quality, affordable
healthcare. Low income workers have been stretched and strangled and squeezed to the limit and the only difference
now is that Wall Street feels it too. Now we call it a recession, but recession for low income workers is a chronic,
persistent feature of our economy. The Earned Income Tax Credit will bring some much needed relief. Yes, it belongs
as the centerpiece of any economic stimulus package, but it is still long overdue.
Yesterday, a middle-aged couple came to see me. They are both temporarily out of work due to medical issues. They
manage their money well. They don’t live beyond their means. Even so, they have no money—no cushion—to get
through a crisis should one arise. Their car broke down. The first mechanic said $1200. They found another mechanic
who said $900, so they had the car towed there. However, when the second mechanic started doing the work he
discovered further problems with the car—a new radiator was essential. The cost now would be $1400. What could
they do? Without a car, they are stranded and won’t be able to get back to work when they are ready. They had the
mechanic fix the car. When they went to pick it up, the mechanic had only charged them half price. “I know you need it
more than me,” he said. Then they came to me. I was able to write them a check for $300. I have a fund which my
church has created precisely for this purpose. I note that churches, synagogues and mosques are writing these kinds
of checks, when they can, more and more. And, at least for me, it’s rarely homeless and long-term unemployed people
to whom these checks are written. It’s people with steady jobs. What do they need the money for? Diapers, baby
formula, medical co-pays, registering for courses, car repair, gasoline, groceries, computers, Christmas gifts, school
clothes, school supplies. And I know we in the faith community will keep writing these checks as we can. I know there
are those in the business community who will keep doing what the mechanic did for my parishioners, as they are able.
Today we are asking our state government to do something similar, but with one difference. We are not asking for
charity. We are not asking for a handout. We are asking for justice, for a more equitable and less regressive sharing
of the tax burden. We are asking simply that poor and low income workers retain more of the money they have
already earned through their labor.
I ask us all to look around the room. Look at Connecticut. Let us proclaim Connecticut’s character here today.
Connecticut does care about poor and low-income working families. Connecticut does care about doing justice.
Connecticut does love kindness. Connecticut does walk humbly with God who is named and understood and
worshipped in many different ways. In keeping with that character, let us, this year, finally create the Earned Income
Tax Credit in CT. Thank you and God bless you.