Steiger: A state Child Tax Credit: Maryland should lead the way

There was widespread disappointment when the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) was lost as Build Back Better eventually became the Inflation Reduction Act. Included in last year’s American Rescue Plan, the expanded CTC, now expired, raised the maximum value of the credit, increased the number of families that were eligible and provided payments on a monthly basis. It made a real difference, particularly for lower-income families, who reported spending much of the money on their children as well as using it to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table.