As a society, we make jokes out of the struggles that college students face. Ramen noodles are now known to be synonymous with college students because college students are notoriously broke.
As someone who recently graduated and is looking to further pursue my education, I know this is no laughing matter. I have had times when I had very little money left and used it to buy gas to get to school. I’ve even had times where I just didn’t make it to class because I could not afford to fix my car until my next paycheck.
As I continue my education, I know I will most likely have to continue making tough financial decisions. I have already had to do so in accepting my admission for a master’s program because of how much in loans I would have to take out.
Financial burden is a terrible feeling and something that is, unfortunately, common in Maine. Maine has a bill to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit. According to the Maine Center for Economic Policy, the EITC currently gives back a mere 5 percent of tax credit back to low-income Mainers. That is the lowest percentage in New England. Vermont has a rate of 36 percent. Another issue of the EITC is that it currently only benefits low-income Mainers.
With this expansion, the percentage will increase to 23 percent and a much larger scope of Maine’s population will benefit from it. This expansion will help approximately 177,000 Maine households, from our college students to married couples with three dependent children.
Our community is realizing that even those who do not qualify as low-income need help as well. This is a time for change. Let’s take this opportunity and help make Maine a better place to live. Let’s make Maine the way life should be.
Katelyn Seavey
Biddeford
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