Indiana House votes to up the earned income tax credit
The Indiana House of Representatives on Monday unanimously advanced State Rep. Chuck Goodrich’s (R-Noblesville) bill to increase the state’s earned income tax credit from 10% to 12%. Goodrich said this legislation would provide additional tax relief to working Hoosiers struggling to make ends meet. This tax credit is available to low- to moderate-income workers, providing tax relief for an estimated 500,000 Hoosiers.
Goodrich said the bill would also couple Indiana to the current federal earned income tax credit. By coupling with the federal tax credit, Hoosiers will be able to benefit from this expanded relief including families with foster children or more than three children. According to a study by the Tax Foundation, the earned income tax brought 5.8 million people, including approximately 3 million children, out of poverty in 2016. Goodrich said this legislation builds off House Enrolled Act 1009, which he authored in 2021, that increased the earned income tax credit from 9% to 10% and put over $10 million annually back into the hands of Hoosiers. House Bill 1290 now heads to the Indiana Senate for further consideration. For more information about this legislation, visit iga.in.gov.
Ivy Tech offering Project Management Professional course
Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington is offering an eight-week Project Management Professional (PMP) certification preparation class. The course starts Feb. 28 and will be held virtually on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-9:30pm. The course is intended for individuals who wish to obtain a PMP credential from Project Management Institute (PMI®). Prior to taking the PMP exam, PMI requires proof at least three years of project management experience and 35 contact hours of project management education. However, the course is open to anyone who wants to learn the fundamentals of project management.
PMP certification is a way to build skills and knowledge that are transferable between industries, market segments, and geographic locations. This is an opportunity to enhance career and earning potential. Short term training classes like PMP are hosted by Ivy+ Career Link Workforce Training. This program takes the employee-employer relationship to a new level with opportunities to skill-up existing employees. Whether you are a small business, a start-up, or an enterprise level company, Ivy Tech will work with you to provide targeted professional development to help employees in your organization do their best work.
For cost information and registration, visit www.ivytech.edu/bloomington/careerlink.
City Accepting Nominations for Be More Awards Honoring Volunteers
The City of Bloomington and Mayor John Hamilton encourages all community members to nominate outstanding volunteers for the Be More Awards, the community volunteer awards presented by the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, a program of the City of Bloomington Community and Family Resources Department. Nominations are being accepted through March 5, 2023, at bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org/bemore.
Nominations may be submitted by members of the general public, community organizations, or businesses. Awards will be made in seven categories;
- Be More Bloomington, presented to an individual or group demonstrating excellence in response to issues impacting our community in 2022. Examples include but are not limited to: housing/homelessness, justice, and post-COVID recovery.
- Be More Creative, honoring volunteer work within the arts community.
- Be More Dedicated, presented to an individual or couple over the age of 60 for their lifetime of service within the community.
- Be More Energized, honoring an individual or group under the age of 25.
- Be More Engaged, honoring engagement professionals working with a volunteer program within an organization or business.
- Be More Impactful, honoring the volunteer or volunteer group of the year.
- Be More Phenomenal, presented to outstanding leadership through board, commission, or committee involvement.
Each of the seven Be More Award recipients will receive a $1,000 cash award provided by the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County for the recipient’s nonprofit organization in honor of their outstanding service.
AWARD SELECTION
Nominations will be screened by Volunteer Network staff to ensure all nomination criteria are appropriately met; the selection committee will not review incomplete nominations. The Be More Awards selection committee is composed of impartial philanthropic leaders who volunteer their time and energy to support this program. Selection committee members will not review any organization’s nomination with which they may have either a personal or professional relationship. All decisions are final.
2023 Be More Award recipients will be honored in a celebration ceremony on April 13th at the Whikehart Auditorium located in the newly remodeled John Waldron Arts Center Auditorium. Event co-sponsors include the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County, the City of Bloomington Community and Family Resources Department, IU Credit Union, United Way of Monroe County, and WTIU Public Television.
This Week in Hoosier History
1931 – Avriel Christie Shull was born in Hamilton County. She graduated from Carmel High School and attended Butler University and the John Herron School of Art. She became a popular designer of homes and interiors, well known for her mid-century Indiana designs. Her Thornhurst Addition in Carmel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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