We Need Your Help to Increase Access to Music Lessons for Lower-Income Families
The Minnesota Legislature is entering its final negotiations for 2019, and we urgently need your help to increase access to music lessons and programs!
Background on the Legislation
Minnesota Afterschool Advance has been leading the effort to increase the income eligibility limit for the K-12 Education Tax Credit, which families can use to get up to 75% off the cost of music lessons and other music programming taught by MMTA members. The MMTA board has officially endorsed this legislation.
The current limit of $33,500 (regardless of household size) to receive the maximum credit has not changed since 1997! This bill would increase the limit by benchmarking it to eligibility for the Free and Reduced Lunch Program.
The bill has bipartisan support and is currently included in the Senate’s omnibus tax bill but not the House’s. It will only make it into the final tax package if key legislators in the House hear from our members across the state!
How You Can Help
Please take a moment today to send an email to the House Tax Chair Rep. Paul Marquart (rep.paul.marquart@house.mn) and copy the bill’s chief House author Rep. Ben Lien (rep.ben.lien@house.mn) urging them to include our bill. You can use the language below. Feel free to adapt it or add your own perspective about the importance of helping families pay for music activities. You may also call Rep. Marquart’s office at 651-296-6829.
Subject Line: Please Include the Increase to the K-12 Education Credit Income Limit in the Tax Conference Report
Dear Chair Marquart,
I strongly support increasing the income eligibility limit for the K-12 Education Tax Credit by benchmarking it to eligibility for the Free and Reduced Lunch Program as proposed in HF 578, and I urge you to include it in the Tax Conference Report.
As a member of the Minnesota Music Teachers Association (MMTA), I believe strongly in the importance of making sure all children throughout our state can access music lessons and other programming, regardless of their family’s income.
The K-12 Education Credit is a critical tool to accomplish this goal, but the income limit for the tax credit has not increased in over 20 years.
Given the strong bipartisan support for this bill, I hope you will help ensure equitable access to music programming and raise the tax credit income limit for families across our state!
Sincerely,
[Enter name and city of residence]