Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act Passed With Bipartisan Support: Rep. Malliotakis

• The bottom 20 percent of earners (those with incomes under $26,000) saw their federal tax rate fall to its lowest level in 40 years.
• Americans earning under $100,000 on average saw their taxes reduced 16 percent.
• Wages increased 4.9 percent in 2018 and 2019 – the fastest two-year growth in real wages in 20 years.
• Unemployment and poverty rates hit a 50 year low, including all-time lows in unemployment for African-Americans, Hispanic workers and those without a high school degree.
• The Child Tax Credit lifted 4.3 million people, including 2.3 million children, above the poverty line in 2018.

Editor’s Note: As we’ve previously covered, the Federal Poverty Line is wholly inaccurate when it comes to measuring actual poverty. Since it is not locality-based, the level is the same in Minnesota as it is in New York City, and the same in Kentucky as it is in California.  However, as most people know, these places are vastly different in terms of cost-of-living and home values, meaning someone living above the poverty line could possibly afford a house in Kansas, but any house would be out of reach for the same family in New York City.  As the ALICE Project interview, as well as our discussions with Professor Edelman demonstrated,  poverty is more complex, often involving housing access and tenants’ rights, the propensity of small towns across the country to make up for tax shortfalls using motor vehicle tickets and court appearances, along with low wage jobs and high unemployment. It should be noted that, if passed by the Senate with the CTC, this new tax act will help actual working families by giving them the Child Tax Credit, which Professor Edelman has spoken of multiple times as being a great place to start making change in the lives of low income people. 

Banner Image: Capitol. Image Credit – Tim Mossholder

Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis

Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis was sworn in on January 3, 2021 to represent Staten Island and Southern Brooklyn. Prior to serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis was elected to the New York State Assembly on November 2, 2010, defeating a two-term incumbent. In the Assembly, she served as Minority Whip and the ranking minority member of the Assembly Committee on Governmental Employees. For five terms, Congresswoman Malliotakis fought to restore ethics in Albany, expand transit service in her district, improve programs for senior citizens, reform education and improve New York’s economic climate by reducing the tax burden on small businesses and residents. A cornerstone of her tenure was helping her community recover and rebuild following the devastation of Hurricane Sandy in 2012. In addition to advocating for these same issues in Washington, Congresswoman Malliotakis is acutely focused on securing New York’s fair share of federal mass transit funding, which would go towards expanding transportation services and easing traffic congestion, while also championing public safety by supporting our nation’s law enforcement officers. Congresswoman Malliotakis is the daughter of immigrants, her father from Greece and her mother a Cuban exile of the Castro dictatorship. She is currently the only Republican member representing New York City in Congress, representing a district spanning the boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island. She is a passionate advocate for animal rights and the strengthening of animal cruelty laws, and in her spare time, enjoys spending time with her chihuahua, Peanut.