Child tax credit, Super Bowl religious ads

Child tax credit deserves thumbs up

An expanded tax credit indeed would benefit child poverty [“How a $33B child tax credit will work,” News, Feb. 20]. It was shocking to read that there was a 7.2% increase in poverty levels right after the COVID-19 tax credits were cut.

This proposed bill will benefit the children of Long Island in many ways. Too often, poverty is a leading cause of child welfare situations. About one of five U.S. children experiences hunger.

It is shocking to see that senators such as Iowa’s Chuck Grassley would vote to block a bill that has the potential to help so many Americans because it would make President Joe Biden “look good.”

— Jessica Webber-Rampell, Levittown  

I must be missing something in the translation. The bill is for lessening the number of children in poverty who would like to eat, correct? The article says that to qualify, married couples need to have a modified adjusted gross income below $400,000 and single filers below $200,000.

So if my wife and I make $350,000, with the tax credits, we could afford a trip to Europe! What planet do the people who submit such bills live on?

 — Thomas Wingenfeld, Lynbrook

Cost of religious ads could aid the needy

I was struck by the religious commercials during the Super Bowl [“Tough sell on memories,” Super Bowl LVIII, Feb. 12]. One showed the washing of the feet. And since it was the beginning of the Easter season for many Christians, I thought of all the misery in this world, the homelessness, hunger and migrants trying to find a place to belong.

It made me angry to think of all the millions of dollars spent on these ads, and what a difference in the world this money would make for these people. The people behind these ads should practice what they preach.

— Ann Leahy, Wantagh