Dear Advocates:
As of this writing, the budget has a shortfall of at least $500 million. Among the items on the table is consideration of suspending of all or some of the state's tax exemptions and tax credits. The House of Representatives has proposed a deficit reduction plan that would specifically cut the School Readiness Tax Credits.  
 
Please call your member of the House of Representatives now and URGE HIM OR HER to keep the School Readiness Tax Credits intact.

Please take these action steps TODAY:
 
1) Call Your Representative by Calling the House Switchboard TODAY at 225 342-6945 (talking points below). You will need to know who your Representative is - click to find out who represents you. 

2) AND Contact your state representatives at their local offices TODAY.  If you need the number for your district office, go to: http://www.legis.la.gov/legis/FindMyLegislators.aspx

3) AND Email your representatives TODAY
 
Below are some talking points:

• Please preserve the  School Readiness Tax Credits, which are cut in the House deficit reduction plan.
• The $12.5 million in Tax Credits actually generate funding for the state because they are used to draw down over $20 million in federal funds under the Child Care and Development Fund Block Grant.
• The School Readiness Tax Credits are an extremely effective program that benefit families, teachers, providers and small businesses.  The School Readiness Tax Credits encourage and support higher quality early childhood education in our state.