NC families like mine are hurting. We need help from Senators Burr and Tillis.

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Welcome to NC Voices, where leaders, readers and experts from across North Carolina can speak on issues affecting our communities. Send submissions of 300 words or fewer to opinion@newsobserver.com.

NC parents are hurting. Expand the child tax credit.

The writer is an activist for equality and equity with many community organizations, including RESULTS, which advocates for U.S. and global poverty solutions.

For the past six months, millions of families in the U.S. who qualified had been receiving monthly Child Tax Credit payments of between $250 and $300 per child through the American Rescue Plan. Nationwide, these payments cut childhood poverty by a third, almost immediately, and allowed many low-income and working families to afford basic necessities.

After an especially hard two years caused by the COVID pandemic, the child tax credit credit brought relief to families in distress.

I just had a baby a few months ago and have quickly learned how extra parenting and child care expenses add up. I got a knot in my stomach when our daycare said the rates increased.

On one hand, I was happy because I want the people caring for my child to be well compensated with worthy wages for worthy work. On the other hand, the daycare cost is almost twice our mortgage. That’s ridiculous and unreasonable.

Meanwhile, there’s a diaper and formula shortage and we’re all dealing with the effects of inflation and economic strife, through a pandemic. Times are tough. That means many people are still struggling to get back on their feet and desperately need balance and some peace of mind.

That regularly refundable tax credit was parents’ peace of mind. In North Carolina, payments were projected to lift an estimated 140,000 children out of poverty, including six in 10 Native American children, more than half of Black children and nearly half of all Latinx children. This is tremendous help in addressing child poverty, along with gender and racial wealth gaps.

On Jan. 15, families did not receive their monthly child tax credit payments. That’s because, even while the U.S. House has passed the Build Back Better Act, including the expanded child tax credit, the U.S. Senate has failed to act.

Some senators say they want to add a work requirement to the child tax credit, but parenting and caregiving is work. It’s hard, exhausting, valuable and incredibly meaningful work that impacts all of us. This tired new mama urges North Carolina’s U.S. Senators, Richard Burr and Thom Tillis, to support this vital family-friendly initiative.

Lindsay K. Saunders, Raleigh

Honoring Coach George Williams at St. Augustine

The writer is St. Augustine University’s vice president of Institutional Advancement, Marketing, and Communications.

Regarding “Dean and Roy have NC highways. This coaching legend deserves one, too.” (Dec. 16 Opinion):

The University regrets that op-ed columnist Barry Saunders believes former St. Augustine University Track and Field Coach George Williams was treated poorly.

The facts reflect that in the spring of 2020, the University decided a change in leadership was needed for its athletics programs and desired to select a new athletic director. Such changes in the athletic director position routinely occur at all types of universities and colleges, big and small.

The University offered Coach Williams the opportunity to serve as the athletic director emeritus while continuing to serve as the head track and field coach for the University. Coach Williams rejected the University’s offer. He was subsequently terminated.

President Christine Johnson McPhail discussed with Coach Williams different options for him to consider for maintaining a relationship with the University, such as serving as athletic director and track and field coach emeritus or special assistant to the president for sports fundraising.

President McPhail further discussed having a retirement gala for Coach Williams, honoring Coach Williams at graduation, and establishing a hall of fame to display Coach Williams’ many track and field achievements. Coach Williams declined all of these offers and opportunities.

There is no doubt that Coach Williams’ name is synonymous with track and field excellence. The University’s athletic stadium and a street on campus even bear his name.

Carolyn Carter, Raleigh