>>> WELCOME TO "NOON WEDNESDAY,"
I'M MARISA WOJCIK ON HERE AND
NOW PITTSBURGH WISCONSIN.
THE U.S. HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES ON THE PRECIPICE
OF VOTING ON THE SENATE'S
VERSION OF THE HISTORIC $1.9
TRILLION COVID-19 RELIEF
PACKAGE, DEBATING ON THE BILL AS
WE SPEAK, AND IT IS EXPECTED TO
PASS THE DEMOCRATICALLY
CONTROLLED HOUSE AND BE SIGNED
BY PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN.
AMONG PROVISIONS IN THE MASSIVE
LEGISLATION ARE MEASURES THAT
DEMOCRATS ARE SAYING WILL
ALLEVIATE CHILD POVERTY BY UP TO
50%.
SO HERE TO DISCUSS WHAT THESE
PARTS OF THE BILL LOOKS LIKE AND
WHAT IT COULD MEAN FOR CHILDREN
IN SINS WISCONSIN IS TIM SMEEDING OF
PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND ECONOMICS AND
FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE
FOR RESEARCH ON POVERTY AS WELL
AS TAMARINE CORNELIUS, RESEARCH
ANALYST AT KIDS FORWARD, A
NON-PROFIT FOCUSED ON CHILDREN
AND FAMILIES IN WISCONSIN, AND I
WANT TO THANK YOU, BOTH, SO MUCH
FOR BEING HERE TODAY, AND, TIM,
I WANT TO START WITH YOU.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANTLY
SPECIFIC -- IMPORTANT
SPECIFICALLY TO MEASURE CHILD
POVERTY?
>> IT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE
KNOW NOW FOR A FACT THAT POVERTY
HURTS KIDS.
WHETHER IT'S ONE PARENT OR TWO
PARENTS, LIVE IN MADISON OR
MILWAUKEE, AND IN A GOOD
NEIGHBORHOOD, A BAD
NEIGHBORHOOD, SINGLE PARENT
FAMILY, TWO PARENT FAMILY, OR
WITH THE GRANDPARENTS, WE KNOW
CHILD POVERTY REDUCES CHILD
OPPORTUNITIES.
IT AFFECTS KIDS FROM BIRTH
ONWARD, BRAINS DEVELOP
DIFFERENTLY, LESS LIKELY TO GO
TO SCHOOL, COMPLETE SCHOOL,
LIVING IN DISTRESS CREATED BY
POVERTY IN THE FAMILY HAS A BIG
NEGATIVE EFFECT ON KIDS, AND
KIDS ARE OUR FUTURE, OUR
RESOURCE, AND SO IT IS IMPORTANT
TO KNOW HOW THEY ARE BEING
RAISED, AND IF THEY ARE, YOU
KNOW, IN BAD STRAITS BECAUSE
THAT DOES NOT BEAR WELL.
IF WE REDUCE CHILD POVERTY, KIDS
ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO DEVELOP
IN SCHOOL, BE RESPONSIBLE
ADULTS, AND SO FORTH, AND SO IT
IS JUST SOMETHING REALLY
IMPORTANT TO KNOW.
>> AND, TAMARINE, YOUR
ORGANIZATION WORKS WITH MANY
GROUPS THAT DIRECTLY SERVE
CHILDREN, AND YOU GET A LAY OF
THE LAND.
CAN YOU TELL US WHAT YOU
UNDERSTAND CHILD POVERTY AND
FAMILIES LOOKS LIKE IN
WISCONSIN?
>> YOU KNOW, ANY TIME YOU CAN
RAISE A CHILD OUT OF POVERTY,
THERE'S A WHOLE SLEW OF POSITIVE
EFFECTS THAT COME OUT OF THAT.
THOSE KIDS DO BETTER IN SCHOOL.
THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO GO TO
COLLEGE.
THEY REDUCE THEIR DRUG AND
ALCOHOL USE.
THEY EARN MORE MONEY LATER IN
LIFE, AND SO ANY INVESTMENT IN
THAT IS REALLY PAYS OFF MANY
TIMES OVER DOWN THE ROAD, AND IN
WISCONSIN, POVERTY -- CHILDREN
LIVE IN POVERTY ALL ACROSS
WISCONSIN, AND TWO OF THE AREAS
WHERE KIDS ARE ESPECIALLY LIKELY
TO LIVE IN POVERTY ARE BECAUSE
OF UNEQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND
EMPLOYMENT AND INEQUITIES IN
THINGS LIKE EDUCATION AND
HOUSING.
BLACK AND LATINO FAMILIES HAVE A
HARDER TIME MAKING ENDS MEET,
AND ALSO, THERE'S A BIG RURAL
POVERTY ISSUE IN WISCONSIN WHERE
PEOPLE LIVE IN AREAS WHERE JOBS
DO NOT PAY AS MUCH, AND IT IS
TOUGH FOR THOSE FAMILIES TO MAKE
ENDS MEET AS WELL AND PROVIDE
BASIC NEEDS FOR THEIR FAMILY,
AND TO TALK ABOUT WHAT POVERTY
IS, TO LAY THAT OUT.
THE OFFICIAL POVERTY MEASURE,
ITS OWN SET OF ISSUES, BUT THAT
IS FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR, ABOUT
$25,000 OR $26,000.
SO THINK ABOUT TRYING TO RAISE
YOUR FAMILY OF FOUR ON THAT
AMOUNT OF MONEY.
VERY DIFFICULT.
>> AND, TIM, YOU'VE DONE A LOT
OF RESEARCH IN THIS AREA, AND IT
AFFECTS DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL
AREAS AS TAMARINE ALLUDED TO.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT THOSE
DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL
CHALLENGES LOOK LIKE IN
WISCONSIN'S LANDSCAPE?
>> WELL, IN WISCONSIN, I'M DOING
A WISCONSIN POVERTY REPORT FOR
TEN YEARS SINCE BECOMING
DIRECTOR OF IRP, AND THAT WAS
FOR A TASK FORCE THAT HELPED
GOVERNOR DOYLE, AND WE'VE BEEN
MONITORING THE SITUATION, AND
POVERTY HAS ALWAYS BEEN INNER
CITY MILWAUKEE.
IN FACT, WITHIN MILWAUKEE
COUNTY, THE DIFFERENCES OF
POVERTY FOR CHILDREN WITHIN
MILWAUKEE COUNTY IS GREATER THAN
THE DIFFERENCE ACROSS ANY
COUNTIES, AND SO IF YOU LIVE IN
CEDARBURG, WAY FISH BAY, THE
POVERTY RATE FOR KIDS IS 3%, 4%,
AND IF YOU LIVE IN WAKASHAU,
THAT'S 3%, BUT IN NORTH CENTRAL,
SOUTHERN CENTRAL CITY, POVERTY
RATES FOR KIDS ARE 30% AND 35%,
AFTER WE TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE
EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT, AFTER
WE TAKE ACCOUNT OF PAUSING
SUBSIDIES, AND AFTER WE TAKE
ACCOUNT OF FOOD SHARE, AND SO
THERE'S HUGE DISPARITIES, AND IT
IS LINKED SOMEWHAT TO PRISONS,
LOW WAGES, LINKED TO LACK OF JOB
OPPORTUNITIES, AND THIS ALL
CREATES STRESS AND PRESSURE ON
FAMILIES RAISING KIDS, AND IT IS
REFLECTED IN THEIR KIDS, AND SO
IF YOU WANT KIDS TO HAVE A
BETTER CHANCE AS TAMARINE
MENTIONED, AVOID THE COSTS DOWN
THE ROAD, WHICH ARE EIGHT TIMES
HIGHER THAN THE INVESTMENT COSTS
THAT WE MAKE NOW, YOU INVEST IN
KIDS.
WE HAVE TO HELP KIDS GROW UP TO
BE HAPPY, HEALTHY, AND SAFE, AND
THAT IS WHAT THE REFUNDABLE
CHILD TAX CREDIT IN THE CURRENT
BILL DOES.
>> NOW, DO YOU HAVE ANY
UNDERSTANDING OF HOW COVID-19
HAS POTENTIALLY EXACERBATED THIS
ISSUE, TIM?
I KNOW THAT YOUR MOST RECENT
REPORT IS FROM 2018 AND 2019
NUMBERS, BUT DO WE HAVE AN
UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THIS LAST
YEAR-PLUS HAS IMPACTED THINGS?
>> WE DO KNOW A FEW THINGS.
WE KNOW -- YOU CAN GUESS FROM
WHAT WE'VE SEEN BEFORE PRETTY
EASILY.
WE KNOW THAT WOMEN, IN
PARTICULAR, HAVE BEEN HURT
BECAUSE OF LACK OF CHILDCARE,
LOW WAGE SERVICE JOBS, WHICH ARE
PARTICULARLY AFFECTING
MINORITIES ARE GONE, RESTAURANT
JOBS, TOURIST JOBS, HOTEL JOBS,
CLEANING JOBS, THOSE SERVICES
ARE THE ONES THAT WERE HURT THE
MOST, AND SO THOSE FAMILIES ARE
REALLY IN TROUBLE.
THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT PAYING
THEIR RENTS OVER A QUARTER OF
THE EVICTIONS OF THOSE WHO CAN'T
PAY RENT IN THE COUNTRY ARE $500
OR LESS, OKAY?
IT'S HARD TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
WE SEE THE LINES IN THE FOOD
BANKS, AND WE SEE THE FOOD SHARE
IS UP 22%, AND SO THOSE
PARTICULAR FAMILIES WHO WERE
HURTING BEFORE ARE LIKELY TO BE
HURTING NOW.
THEY DO NOT WORK ONLINE LIKE WE
DO.
THEY DO NOT GET REGULAR
PAYCHECKS LIKE WE DO.
THEY NEED HELP.
THEY NEED STABILITY.
THEY NEED ECONOMIC STABILITY IN
THEIR FAMILIES, AND, HOPEFULLY,
THESE TWO BENEFITS WILL DELIVER
THEM, TOO.
>> AND THIS NEXT QUESTION IS FOR
BOTH OF YOU.
IS THE CURRENT SOCIAL SAFETY NET
WORKING THE WAY IT SHOULD TO
COUNTER POVERTY IN THE STATE,
AND, TAMARINE, WE WILL START
WITH YOU.
>> I THINK THAT THERE'S TWO
ANSWERS TO THAT, AND ONE IS THAT
IT -- IT HELPS, SO, YOU KNOW,
THE WAY OUR WORK SUPPORTS ARE
SET UP, THEY ARE BOTH VERY
IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE
TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET, AND
THE OTHER HALF OF THAT IS NOT
NEARLY ENOUGH AND NOT NEARLY
EFFECTIVE, AND SO WE, YOU KNOW,
THINGS LIKE UNEMPLOYMENT
BENEFITS AND FOOD ASSISTANCE
AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER TYPES OF
HELPING FAMILIES IN NEED ARE
CRITICAL FOR PEOPLE SURVIVING
THIS PERIOD, AND THEY DON'T
REALLY NEARLY COVER WHAT THEY
NEED TO, AND ESPECIALLY AS WE
LOOK BACK AT WHAT OUR HISTORY
WITH THESE PROGRAMS HAS BEEN
OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, YOU
KNOW, ESPECIALLY IN WISCONSIN,
WE HAD A HISTORY OF SORT OF
SETTING UP ADMINISTRATIVE
ROADBLOCKS TO ACCESS MANY OF
THESE PROGRAMS AND OTHER WAYS OF
DISCOURAGING PARTICIPATION, AND
NOW THAT WE HAVE THIS CRUSHING
NEED FOR THESE PROGRAMS, THOSE
BARRIERS ARE PREVENTING PEOPLE
FROM ACCESSING WHAT THEY NEED,
AND SO I THINK IT IS BOTH, YOU
KNOW, EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN OUR
CURRENT STATUS, AND I THINK
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO
TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT IS ACTUALLY
GOING TO HELP FAMILIES AND
REALLY TAKE A BIG STEP IN
IMPROVING THE SUPPORTS THAT HELP
PEOPLE GET BACK UP ON THEIR FEET
WHEN THEY NEED A BOOST.
>> TIM, SAME QUESTION TO YOU.
ARE THE CURRENT SOCIAL SAFETY
NETS IN THE STATE WORKING?
>> THEY ARE WORKING, BUT I AGREE
WITH A LOT OF WHAT TAMARINE
SAID, BUT FOR INSTANCE, SNAP
BENEFITS HAVE BEEN INCREASED BY
15%, AND WHEN PRESIDENT BIDEN
SIGNS IT TOMORROW, IT'LL BE
THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR.
EXTRA MONEY FOR KIDS IN SNAP
MISSING SCHOOL LUNCHES AND
SCHOOL BREAKFASTS, OKAY?
FINDING A WAY TO GET ACCESS TO
THE BENEFITS MORE EASILY, WHICH
WE DID IN THE GREAT RECESSION
BEFORE GOVERNOR WALKER CAME IN
TO OFFICE, REALLY HELPED, AND SO
HELPING PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY
CAN GET AND GET IT.
ANOTHER THING, OKAY, NATIONAL
ACADEMY OF SCIENCES REPORT SHOWS
THAT IN ACROSS THE WHOLE NATION,
ABOUT 20% OF KIDS ARE CHILDREN
BORN IN THE UNITED STATES,
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS, AND WHO
ARE U.S. CITIZENS ARE BORN TO
FOREIGN BORN PARENTS.
THOSE PARENTS ARE AFRAID, HAVE
BEEN AFRAID OF TAKING THOSE
BENEFITS BECAUSE OF PUBLIC
CHARGE AND BECAUSE OF OTHER
RESTRICTIONS AND THREATS THEY
RECEIVE.
THEY SHOULD BE TOLD THEY ARE
ELIGIBLE FOR THE BENEFITS.
THE BIG CHALLENGE FOR TAMARINE
AND HER COHORTS AND OTHERS IS TO
FIND WAYS NOW TO HELP ELIGIBLE
FAMILIES IN WISCONSIN RECEIVE
THIS REFUNDABLE CHILD TAX
CREDIT.
IF YOU ARE WELL SETUP, A STABLE
FAMILY, PAY TAXES ONLINE, THE
IRS FINDS YOU, THAT'S FINE, BUT
WE HAVE ABOUT 100,000 FAMILIES
IN THIS STATE WHO HAVE NOT
RECEIVED THE FIRST CARES PAYMENT
BECAUSE THE IRS COULD NOT FIND
THEM BECAUSE THEY MOVED AND NO
ONE FORWARDED THEIR MAIL AND SO
FORTH, SO AN EFFORT TO HELP
PEOPLE FIND AND GET AND BEGIN
RECEIVING THE BENEFITS THEY ARE
ELIGIBLE FOR IS IMPORTANT.
THE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE GROUP
IS NOT THE WAY TO GO.
UNEMPLOYMENT SYSTEM IS BADLY
BROKEN, AND UNTIL WE GET IT
TUNED UP, UNTIL WE FIX IT UP,
THAT'S FINE, BUT A LOT OF THE
FAMILIES WHO ARE ELIGIBLE OR WHO
HAVE BEEN WORKING PART-TIME OR
SCRAPING ALONG, THEY ARE
ELIGIBLE FOR THE CHILD TAX
CREDIT, INEEL-- INELIGIBLE FOR
NONEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, AND SO
IT IS A BIG ROLE TO REACH OUT,
TELL THE COMMUNITIES, TELL THEM
WHAT THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR, AND
HELP THEM TO RECEIVE THE
BENEFITS TO WHICH THEY ARE
ENTITLED.
THAT'S THE BEST THING TO DO.
I MEAN, OTHER THINGS ARE
IMPORTANT, TOO, RAISING THE
MINIMUM WAGE ABOVE $7.25, GREAT,
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO $15, BUT
COME ON, DO YOU THINK THE
LEGISLATURE CAN TALK ABOUT $10
TO $15 PER HOUR WHICH IS WHAT
THE GOVERNOR PROPOSED?
WE HAVE MINNEAPOLIS AND MOST OF
MINNESOTA GOING TO $15 AND
ILLINOIS ON THE WAY TO $15 PER
HOUR STEP BY STEP OVER THE NEXT
FEW YEARS, AND SO RAISING WAGES
WOULD BE HELPFUL.
THERE'S A BUNCH OF OTHER THINGS,
BUT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CHILD
TAX CREDITS, GETTING THE MONTHLY
BENEFIT SET UP WILL BE REALLY
IMPORTANT, AND WE'RE GOING TO
NEED A LOT OF HELP TO DO THAT
FOR FAMILIES WHO ARE ELIGIBLE
AND MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO THE
INTERFACE WITH THE IRS WEBSITE
THAT THEY ARE PLANNING.
MY -- I PERSONALLY HAVE PUSHED
IN THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF
SCIENCES AND THEY RECOMMENDED
WITH THE SOCIAL SECURITY
ADMINISTRATION BE INVOLVED IN
THE SITUATIONS DEALING WITH
GRANDPARENTS RAISING KIDS, KIDS
WHO FAMILIES ARE UNDER COURT
ORDER, TO FIND OUT WHO IS REALLY
TAKING CARE OF THE KIDS AND
MAKING SURE THE OTHER PEOPLE
RECEIVING THE BENEFITS, AND
THAT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT
BECAUSE THE CHILD TAX CREDIT'S
ONLY FOR ONE YEAR.
NOW, WE HAVE A YEAR TO MAKE --
TO SHOW HOW IT WORKS, AND WE
NEED TO GET THE PEOPLE WHO NEED
HELP ENROLLED, GET THE MONEY
GOING TO THEM, AND SO ON, AND IT
IS NOT JUST THE CHILD TAX
CREDIT.
I MEAN, JUST TO FINISH WHAT I'M
SAYING, EVERY KID IS ELIGIBLE
FOR $1400 EMERGENCY INCOME
PAYMENT, TOO, AND THERE'S
EXPANDED TAX CREDITS FOR
CHILDCARE AND EXPANDED SLOTS FOR
CHILDCARE, BOTH IN THIS BILL,
AND SO HELPING PEOPLE ACCESS
THOSE SO THEY CAN WORK AND
MANAGE THEIR FAMILIES, GET GOOD
CHILDCARE, AND THERE'S A STABLE
BASE OF INCOME THAT'S ALL
IMPORTANT, AND THAT'S THE
CHALLENGE IN FRONT OF US IN
WISCONSIN OVER THE NEXT YEAR,
AND, AGAIN, THESE ARE ALL
FEDERAL BENEFITS.
THIS IS FEDERAL BENEFITS.
A LOT ARE ADMINISTERED BY THE
STATES.
THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE
NEEDS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SPEND
THE MONEY, WHERE TO SPEND THE
MONEY, AND THEN WE HAVE TO HELP
PEOPLE GET THE MONEY.
>> AND, TAMARINE, I WANT TO
EXPAND ON WHAT TIM WAS
DESCRIBING.
SO IN THIS FEDERAL $1.9 TRILLION
RELIEF PACKAGE, IS -- WHAT IS
BEING PROPOSED FOR CHILD
BENEFITS?
IS IT AN EXTENSION OF THE
CURRENT TAX CREDIT?
IT'S ALSO CALLED "CHILD SOCIAL
SECURITY," IT'S BEING CALLED "A
GUARANTEED INCOME," AND HOW
WOULD YOU DESCRIBE WHAT IS IN
THIS LEGISLATION, AND WHAT
STANDS OUT TO YOU AS BEING
BENEFICIAL?
>> SO THERE'S ACTUALLY A BUNCH
OF THINGS IN THE LEGISLATION,
AND WE'VE MOSTLY JUST TOUCHED ON
THE CHILD TAX CREDIT, BUT THERE
ARE SEVERAL PROVISIONS WHICH
WOULD BROADLY MAKE A BIG
DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SO THINGS
LIKE EXPANDING THE UNEMPLOYMENT
BENEFITS AND THE INCREASE IN
WEEKLY UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS IS
IN HERE, AND THERE'S ALSO THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO
MAKE IT EASIER TO ACCESS HEALTH
INSURANCE DURING A PANDEMIC,
WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT
BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A
HEALTH CRISIS, AND THERE'S THE
CHILD TAX CREDIT, WHICH WE'VE
BEEN TALKING ABOUT, AND THERE'S
ALSO A CREDIT FOR WORKERS
WITHOUT -- WHO ARE NOT RAISING
KIDS AT HOME, AND THEN THERE'S
ALSO OTHER AIDE LIKE FOOD
ASSISTANCE AND EVICTION
ASSISTANCE, AND SO, YOU KNOW,
OVERALL, THIS WHOLE PACKAGE,
ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, CHILD MIGHT
BE ONLY IN THE TITLE OF ONE OF
THE COMPONENTS, IT IS REALLY
GOING TO HAVE A HUGE BENEFICIAL
IMPACT ON FAMILY FUNCTIONING AND
FAMILY WELL BEING, EVEN IF THE
BENEFITS DO NOT DIRECTLY FLOW TO
THE CHILD, RIGHT, BECAUSE THINGS
LIKE PARENTS BEING ABLE TO
ACCESS UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS TO
PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE, THAT'S
ALSO IMPORTANT FOR CHILDREN,
ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT SPECIFICALLY
DIRECTED AT CHILDREN.
SO THE CHILD TAX CREDIT IS AN
EXPANSION OF THE CREDIT THAT'S
ALREADY IN PLACE.
THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENCES.
IT CHANGES THE -- IT MODIFIES IT
SO THAT FAMILIES WHO DON'T MAKE
VERY MUCH MONEY OR MAKE NO MONEY
CAN GET THE TAX CREDIT.
IT INCREASES THE AMOUNT OF THE
TAX CREDIT.
IT INCLUDES 17-YEAR-OLDS WHO ARE
NOT INCLUDED BEFORE, AND IT ALSO
IMPLEMENTS THIS DELIVERY
MECHANISM THAT TIM WAS TALKING
ABOUT WHERE PEOPLE CAN GET IT
SENT TO THEM MONTHLY FOR THE
REST OF THE YEAR -- OR FOR THE
SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR, AND SO
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT AND GET
ALL WHEN YOU FILE YOUR TAXES
BECAUSE THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE
AS HELPFUL FOR PEOPLE HO NEED IT
RIGHT NOW, RIGHT?
YOU NEED IT TO PAY RENT RIGHT
NOW AND NOT NEXT APRIL WHEN YOU
FILE YOUR TAXES, AND SO THAT WAY
OF DELIVERING IT IS ALSO NEW,
AND SO THOSE ARE SEVERAL CHANGES
THAT ALL TAKEN TOGETHER WILL
MAKE A BIG POSITIVE IMPACT ON
THE LIVES OF FAMILIES, AN THEN
THAT, ITSELF, IS IN THE BIGGER
CONTEXT OF AIDE THAT IS GOING TO
HELP FAMILIES IN GENERAL THAT
ARE STRUGGLING LIKE UNEMPLOYMENT
BENEFITS AND EXPANDED SUBSIDIES
TO HEALTH INSURANCE.
>> NOW, I WAS LISTENING TO THE
HOUSE FLOOR DEBATE, AND
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS WERE
VYING BACK AND FORTH, AND
DEMOCRATS WERE REPEATING THE
FIGURE THAT THIS IS GOING TO CUT
CHILD POVERTY BY 50%.
TIM, DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT
FIGURE?
>> WELL, FIRST THING IS, THE
SIMILAR PACKAGE BY THE NATIONAL
ACADEMY OF SCIENCE ESTIMATED
THAT THE CHILD CARE TAX IN A
SIMILAR PACKAGE, BUT THIS
PACKAGE IN TACT, COMPLETE, THE
CENTER ON POVERTY AND POLICY AT
COLUMBIA, ONE OF MY CO-AUTHORS,
CHRIS WEIMER, AND HIS COLLEAGUES
HAVE MADE THIS ESTIMATE, AND IF
YOU LOOK AT THE CHILD TAX CREDIT
ALONE, THAT MAY BE 40%.
IT'S 50% FOR MINORITIES, BY THE
WAY, FOR SURE, BUT ADD THE $1400
PER KID EMERGENCY PAYMENT, AND
YOU HAVE THE EXTRA SNAP BENEFITS
THAT ARE COMING, ADD THE OTHER
FORMS OF ASSISTANCE, AND, YES,
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CHILD
POVERTY -- OUR CHILD POVERTY
RATE WILL BE SOMEWHERE NEAR
CANADA'S, AND NEAR EUROPEAN
LEVELS IF WE DO THIS AND WE DO
IT RIGHT.
JUST AS TAMARINE SAID, THERE ARE
ALL THESE DIFFERENT PIECES --
EXCUSE ME -- AND AT THE END OF
THE DAY, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT
HOW TO DELIVER THEM AND GET THEM
TO PEOPLE, AND THAT'S GOING TO
BE A BIG TASK THAT NON-PROFITS
CAN HELP WITH, BUT WHERE THE
STATE AND ITS OFFICES ARE GOING
TO HAVE TO DO THEIR BEST TO WORK
WITH FAMILIES AND WORK WITH
GROUPS, WORK WITH IRS OR WHOEVER
IS CHARGED FILING AND DELIVERING
MONTHLY BENEFITS AND GET THEM
QUALIFIED.
>> REPUBLICANS WERE SAYING OVER
AND OVER THAT THIS IS GOING TO
EXACERBATE THE ENTITLEMENT
PROGRAMS AND PEOPLE'S RELIANCE
ON WELFARE AND THAT PEOPLE ARE
GOING TO STOP GOING TO WORK
BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO BE
GETTING MONEY THAT THEY WOULD
NORMALLY BE EARNING AT A JOB.
TIM, DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT
SENTIMENT?
>> THIS IS NOT AT ALL WHAT WE --
WHAT WE'VE FIND OR WHAT
CANADIANS HAVE FOUND OR OTHERS.
NOW, UNLIKE -- IF YOU EARN AN
EXTRA DOLLAR RIGHT NOW AND YOU
LIVE IN PUBLIC HOUSING OR
RECEIVING SNAP BENEFITS, YOU'RE
GOING TO REDUCE YOUR SNAP
BENEFITS, YOU'RE GOING TO
REDUCE, YOU'RE GOING TO INCREASE
THE RENT THAT YOU PAY, AND SO
THERE'S TWO INCOME REDUCTIONS IN
ADDITION TO TAXES.
THE CHILD TAX CREDIT DOES NOT
WORK THAT WAY.
THERE IS NO CLAWBACK AND DOESN'T
COUNT AGAINST ANY OTHER PROGRAM.
NOW, BY ITSELF, IT IS NOT HIGH
ENOUGH TO GET YOU OUT OF
POVERTY.
MAYBE A QUARTER OF THE POVERTY
LINE, BUT IT MEANS THAT YOU HAVE
STABLE CONSTANT INCOME EVERY
MONTH MEANING YOU CAN MAKE
PLANS, AND MEANS YOU CAN HAVE
SOME MONEY FOR CHILDCARE ON YOUR
OWN, AND MEANS YOU CAN PAY YOUR
RENT, MEANS YOU WON'T BE
EVICTED.
IT MEANS YOU CAN PAY FOR AFTER
SCHOOL THINGS FOR YOUR KIDS.
IT MEANS THAT YOU GET A GOOD
INTERNET CONNECTION SO YOUR KIDS
ARE BETTER ABLE TO LEARN ONLINE
OR, YOU KNOW, DO THEIR HOMEWORK
AFTER KIDS ARE BACK IN SCHOOL.
ALL THE NATIONAL ACADEMY SCIENCE
ESTIMATES WE DID IS THAT THERE'S
A TINY REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER
OF PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR THE CHILD
TAX CREDIT, BUT THAT WOULD BE
FAR OUTWEIGHED BY THE EXTRA
CHILDCARE SUBSIDIES THEY GET AND
EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT AND
OTHER PORTIONS OF THE BILL, AND
SO PEOPLE, I EXPECT PEOPLE WILL
ACTUALLY WORK MORE, ONCE JOBS
COME BACK AND ONCE CHILDCARE
COMES BACK.
THOSE ARE TWO BIG "IFS" HAVING
TO DO WITH HEALTH CONDITIONS,
NOT WITH THE BILL.
>> TAMARINE --
>> SO I --
>> SO TIM MENTIONED THAT -- TIM
MENTIONED THAT THIS IS GOING TO
HAVE AN EVEN GREATER ALLEVIATION
OF CHILD POVERTY FOR BLACK
FAMILIES AND FAMILIES OF COLOR
IN WISCONSIN, RACINE AND
MILWAUKEE HAVE THE HIGHEST RATES
OF POVERTY ACCORDING TO TIM'S
MOST RECENT STUDY.
DO YOU THINK THAT THIS CREDIT
AND WHAT'S IN THIS BILL IS GOING
TO HAVE THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT
FOR THOSE THAT ARE MOST IMPACTED
WHERE MILWAUKEE AND RACINE HAVE
VERY HIGH POPULATIONS OF BLACK
FAMILIES?
>> WELL, THIS WILL -- THIS IS
GOING TO BE A REALLY BROAD BASED
BENEFIT THAT HELPS MOST CHILDREN
IN WISCONSIN, AND SO EVERYBODY
IS GOING TO SEE A LIFT FROM
THIS.
IT WILL BE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT
TO FAMILIES WITH LOW INCOMES WHO
ARE STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS
MEET, AND IN WISCONSIN, MANY OF
OUR FAMILIES OF COLOR ARE
DISPROPORTIONALLY LOW INCOME.
WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, GENERATIONS
OF EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION AND
UNEQUAL EDUCATION AND HOUSING
AND OTHER FACTORS THAT MAKE IT
MORE LIKELY THAT OF THOSE
FAMILIES EARNING LOWER WAGES,
AND SO THIS WILL BE A STEP
TOWARDS HELPING THOSE FAMILIES,
BUT IT ALSO IS GOING TO HELP,
YOU KNOW, THOUSANDS OF --
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER
FAMILIES ACROSS WISCONSIN SO
IT'S TARGETED, BUT IT ALSO IS
GOING TO BE A REALLY -- IT WILL
BE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO
FAMILIES OF COLOR, BUT IT IS
STILL GOING TO BE HELPING
FAMILIES, AND IN REALLY EVERY
CORNER OF WISCONSIN.
>> EXACTLY.
TOTALLY AGREE WITH THAT.
IT'S GOING TO HELP EVERYBODY,
THE WORKING CORE, IT'S GOING TO
HELP FAMILIES MAKE ENDS MEET,
AND IT'S GOING TO HELP PEOPLE I
HIRED FOR RESEARCH AND POVERTY,
ONE PARTICULAR PERSON, I WON'T
SAY THE NAME, BUT MAKES $40,000
A YEAR, AND HAS FOUR CHILDREN,
AND HIS SPOUSE VOLUNTEERS AT
CHURCH, AND DOES CHURCH RELATED
THINGS, AND I DID A WEBINAR WITH
HIM, AND HE ACTUALLY SAID THIS
IS AMAZINGLY IMPORTANT FOR ME.
THIS IS A REALLY HARD WORKING
GUY, BUILT HIS OWN HOUSE, AND
THE "NEW YORK TIMES" DID A STORY
ABOUT A WOMAN, AN
AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN IN
MILWAUKEE NAMED ERICA HUNT.
SHE WAS WORKING AT BURGER
KING -- EXCUSE ME, AT TACO BELL
AND ANOTHER PLACE, SHE WAS $300
SHORT EVERY MONTH IN MEETING THE
BUDGET, AND SO SHE WAS DRIVING
CAR WITHOUT A LICENSE AND
WORRYING ABOUT REPAYING HER
LOAN, AND THE "NEW YORK TIMES"
SAID RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE TO
$15 FOR HER.
IF SHE KEPT HER HOURS, THAT JUST
GIVES HER $300.
WHAT SHE GETS FROM THE
LEGISLATION IS ABOUT AN EXTRA
$800 A MONTH FOR HER KIDS OVER
AND ABOVE WHAT SHE HAS NOW AND
DOESN'T HAVE TO WORK THE EXTRA
SHIFT, TRY TO WORK THE DAY
SHIFTS, CAN PLAN ON DOING THINGS
FOR HER KID EVERY MONTH, SAVE
THE MONEY, PUT IT AWAY, IT'S NOT
GOING TO GO AWAY UNTIL HER
INCOME HITS $75,000 A YEAR.
THAT'S A HUGE EFFECT ON THE
WORKING CORE IN PARTICULAR AND
ON FAMILIES WHO CAN'T AFFORD
EVERYTHING THAT THEY WANT FOR
THEIR KIDS OR THAT THEIR KIDS
NEED, AND SO THIS IS
REVOLUTIONARY, ABSOLUTELY
REVOLUTIONARY, AND HOPEFULLY
THIS WORKS WELL ENOUGH BY THE
END OF THE YEAR TO CONVINCE
EVERYBODY IT SHOULD BE
PERMANENT.
THAT'S THE CHALLENGE, AND THAT
IS WHY PEOPLE LIKE TAMARINE AND
HER GROUPS AND ME AND MY PEOPLE
HAVE TO DO OUR BEST TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE GET THIS BENEFIT OUT,
AND WE CAN START TO SHOW HOW IT
IS AFFECTING FAMILY LIFE AND
AFFORDABILITY OF KIDS.
>> TAMARINE, YOU WERE GOING TO
RESPOND TO THAT?
>> BUILDING ON WHAT TIM SAID BY
SAYING THIS IS -- THE CHILD TAX
CREDIT PART AND MOST OF THE
OTHER PARTS OF THE COVID RELIEF
BILL ARE TEMPORARY.
THE CHILD TAX CREDIT PART IS ONE
YEAR, AND SO WE WILL HAVE TO ASK
OURSELVES, WHEN THIS IS DONE, IF
IT HAD THE TREMENDOUS IMPACT
THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING ON
HELPING FAMILIES FUNCTION, YOU
KNOW, REPAIR THEIR CAR TO GET TO
WORK, PUT MORE GROCERIES IN THE
CABINETS, YOU KNOW, CATCH UP ON
THE UTILITY BILL, AND THEN AT
THE END OF THE YEAR, WE CHOOSE
NOT -- YOU KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO
MAKE THIS HISTORIC REDUCTION IN
CHILD POVERTY, AND AT THIS
POINT, WE'RE NOT PLANNING ON
DOING IT NEXT YEAR, AND SO I
THINK THAT THAT WILL BE A POINT
IN WHICH WE HAVE TO ASK
OURSELVES, IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO
DO THAT, WHY NOT MAKE
INVESTMENTS IN OUR KIDS IN THE
FUTURE?
>> VERY ROBUST DISCUSSION.
I WANT TO THANK YOU, BOTH, SO
MUCH FOR JOINING TODAY.
TAMARINE CORNELIUS AND TIM
SMEEDING, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANKS.
>>> FOR MORE FROM "HERE AND NOW"
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