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WATCH: Leger Fernández Talks Impact of Expanded and Improved Child Tax Credit

May 14, 2021

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández joined NM Voices for Children, Mora Independent School District Head Start Coordinator, and Shanci Salazar, a single mother and Jicarilla Apache Tribal member to talk about the impact the expanded Child Tax Credit will have on New Mexico’s families.

The group discussed how important it is for families that the payments will come on a monthly basis and highlighted the urgent need to make the expanded and improved Child Tax Credit permanent. 

The Congresswoman also encouraged all New Mexicans to file their taxes - even if they don’t usually file - by May 17th in order to access the monthly payments. 

Watch full video of the roundtable here. 

Here are some highlights:

On the impact the expanded Child Tax Credit will have on NM families 

Bill Jordan, NM Voices for Children [ 5:05 ]: Of all the states in the U.S., New Mexico has one of the highest rates of  poverty. WE have very high rates of low income families with children. We are going to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of this. We are going to have more kids and families impacted in New Mexico than most other states. It’s critically important that New Mexico families take advantage of this extraordinary opportunity. [...] We went in with a high rate of poverty, it probably got worse during the pandemic. Coming out, I hope New Mexico can do much much better. And the Child Tax Credit can be one of those pieces that makes the biggest difference. 

Rep. Leger Fernández [ 1:38 ]: The Child Tax Credit has been around for a while but unfortunately it didn’t reach all families. It didn’t reach every working family and it was limiting in that way. What we did in the American Rescue Plan was expanded the Child Tax Credit so now it’s available to all families, and especially poor and working families. 

On the importance of monthly payments
Shanci Salazar, single mother & Jicarilla Apache Tribal member [ 8:35 ]: Now that it is set up monthly, I like that you know that it’s there. I’ve used a lot of it from the pandemic covid relief money that we’ve gotten to help myself catch up and get ahead in my bills, [...] set myself up to where I’m not worrying anymore. It’s a big relief to know that it’s going to be there and not have to worry about ‘well I can’t pay this bill.’

Salazar [ 9:42 ]: I have a special needs child that gets seen up in Denver so I take her every 3-6 months up in there. Like I said, just to know that that’s there to help me with my extra bills. To know that I’m able to do this with them. You can sleep at night. It’s not a worry. 

Joseph Griego, Head Start & Early Head Start Coordinator [ 12:01 ]: The idea you guys did to pay it out monthly, I think means more than getting that large sum and it’s gone within a month. Families can help plan in regards to money coming in every month to assist. 

On the need to make the expanded Child Tax Credit permanent

Griego [ 14:45 ]: For a lot of our families in Northern New Mexico, they live just above that threshold  of poverty or right at the poverty level. And for 90% of my families in Head Start and Early Head Start, we’re serving the poorer of the poorer and they struggle from month to month. I think this is something that is great to see and I’d like to see it long-term moving out past December 31st so we can get our families to that next level and ensure that children aren’t suffering in the long term. 

Jordan [ 18:14 ]: With regard to the Child Tax Credit, it would be great if all - or part of that - could be made permanent. I know that’s expensive and I know it’ll be a push but I think we’re going to learn what a great impact it has on our kids and our families. We’re hoping that some expansion of the Child Tax Credit could be made permanent. 

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO HERE

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