State Rep. Kathy Schmaltz and a group of other Republican legislators this week testified on their plan to provide real relief for Michigan families.

Schmaltz, R-Jackson, joined State Reps. Bill G. Schuette (R-Midland) and Nancy DeBoer (R-Holland) to speak in support of House Bills 4055-59 before the House Economic Competitiveness Committee. The plan addresses an affordability crisis in Michigan by creating a state child tax credit, exempting infant and toddler items such as diapers, cribs, bottles and more from both sales tax and use taxes, and establishing Child Care Savings Accounts that allow parents to deduct money deposited for childcare costs from their taxable income.

“These bills make it easier and more affordable to raise a family in Michigan,” Schuette said. “Costs have unfortunately skyrocketed for workers and families over the past few years. While inflation has slowed, many people are struggling to pay for childcare and various essentials for their children. At the same time, they’re looking at a state budget proposal from the governor for the upcoming fiscal year that is over $80 billion. We should be working to return more money to taxpayers and families, and these bills are a good start.”

“Families across our state are struggling to make ends meet, and these bills will provide some relief,” DeBoer said. “In the state of Michigan, we respect and appreciate our parents, and we see the sacrifices they make to care and provide for their children. Young families face the challenge of balancing financial responsibilities with the demands of raising a new child. This can be an incredibly stressful time, especially because of the increase in the cost of living. These bills will help ease that burden by putting money back into parents’ pockets where it belongs.”

Schuette noted in testimony the state child tax credit would be 50% of the federal tax credit and a family in Michigan could get as much as $1,000 currently and $500 in future years to help pay for groceries, utilities, childcare and other needs. When testifying on her sales tax exemption plan and the relief it would create for families, Schmaltz noted basic things for children like cribs, playpens and strollers can cost hundreds of dollars and that families use between 2,500-3,000 diapers just in the first year of a child’s life.

“It’s all about affordability,” Schmaltz said when testifying before the committee. “Higher prices have been really tough, especially for young families. Many families are choosing between working and the cost of daycare and everyday items, and unfortunately many young families choose to leave the workforce to take care of their children because they simply cannot afford daycare. We want to reduce this financial stress and ease these burdens by providing real relief for families across our state.”

The plans remain under consideration in the House Economic Competitiveness Committee.