This tax day, our elected leaders need to finally do right by our community and economy by passing tax policies that lift up working families, women and communities of color, not the super wealthy and mega-corporations. It is long past time for those who have the most to pay their fair share.

The super wealthy and mega-corporations are flourishing more than ever, while working families are struggling with unemployment, lost wages and the ravages of a public health crisis. Rather than cut supports that families turn to when times are tough, we should raise revenue to invest in our shared success by making the super wealthy pay their fair share in taxes.

Passing President Biden’s American Recovery Plan and American Family Plan would go a long way to start to fix our unfair tax code and provide the funding we so desperately need for programs like universal childcare, paid leave for all, healthcare and nutrition programs.

Struggling families need these programs and need money in our pockets, which is why Congress must also make the improvements to the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit passed in the American Rescue Plan permanent. These temporary improvements to the Child Tax Credit alone cut child poverty in half. We need to keep that momentum going so our families can thrive.

This isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s how we boost our economy for everyone.

Matt Cornell

Durango

Editor’s Note: The author’s reference to “tax day” means the deadline for filing federal income taxes in 2021, which is May 17, not April 15, as usual.