New TCWF Case Studies Offer Tips for Executing Successful Tax Credit Campaigns
What are some of the most effective tactics for advancing tax credit legislation? Each year, Tax Credits for Workers and Their Families (TCWF) releases a set of case studies on the strategies and messages advocates used in recent campaigns to create, expand or protect state-level Earned Income Tax Credits (EITCs). This year, we highlighted successful campaigns to expand state-level EITCs in California, Louisiana and Maryland.
In California, a large and diverse coalition of advocates worked to expand the state’s EITC to three groups: single filers ages 18 to 24(without dependent children), single filers older than 65 (without dependent children) and immigrant workers filing with Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers.
After three years of campaigning, Maryland advocates won an EITC expansion for single filers younger than 25.
And in Louisiana, a diverse coalition capitalized on a contentious budget debate to pass an expansion of the state EITC from 3.5 to 5 percent of the federal credit.
These case studies, along with those from years past,illustrate the common elements in many tax credit campaigns, while highlighting unique and successful strategies that advocates across the country can adapt for their own efforts in 2019 and future years.
For a comprehensive list of strategies highlighted in all 16TCWF case studies, check out our Guide to Effective EITC Advocacy.