GSO Co-Hosts Legislative Briefing with Revenue & Taxation Chair Irwin
February 21, 2023
Golden State Opportunity recently co-hosted a legislative briefing with Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin about CalEITC+ education and outreach. Assemblymember Irwin chairs the powerful Revenue & Taxation Committee which handles all bills related to California taxes and tax credits like the CalEITC.
“Thank you to GSO for highlighting important programs like CalEITC4Me,” said Assemblymember Irwin. “California can do a lot of good to lift people up through the tax system and I’m glad to partner with them to raise awareness about cash-back tax credits.”
CalEITC4Me is a groundbreaking, public-private partnership with community-based organizations and the state of California focused on the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC), a cash-back tax credit that puts money back into the pockets of Californians who earn less than $30,000 a year.
During the briefing, dozens of legislative staffers heard from GSO Policy Director Sabrina De Santiago about how CalEITC4Me’s education and outreach plays a vital role in helping low-income families claim the CalEITC.
Attendees also heard from CalEITC4Me Community Connect partners Meredith Baker and Edward King from Community Partnership for Families of San Joaquin (CPFSJ). They both shared their experiences running three popular free tax preparation locations in Lodi and Stockton.
“We are proud to meet people where they are,” said Meredith Baker, Executive Director of CPFSJ. “We ensure that people from all walks of life, including workers who don’t speak English, are supported and treated with respect as they navigate our tax system.”
Baker detailed the many steps it takes to help a low-income family file their taxes from troubleshooting past tax returns and pending ITIN applications to conducting multiple points of outreach throughout the San Joaquin Valley. Every year, a central challenge for CPFSJ each year is securing enough volunteers to become IRS-certified and file taxes.
GSO Policy Manager Mónica Lazo discussed what legislators can do to improve the CalEITC including making higher income households eligible and raising the minimum amount families can receive from the credit.
Many staffers were interested in partnering with GSO on in-district events to raise awareness about cash-back tax credits. We look forward to collaborating with more legislative offices in the future!