As many Arkansans rush to beat the April 17th tax deadline this year, we wanted to take a moment to think about what it is we actually get for our annual payments. No one likes paying taxes. Even those of us who see taxes as a necessary part of life do not enjoy the act of forking over our hard-earned money. The irony is that we have these thoughts at the same time we're sitting safely in our homes or offices, or driving down streets and highways, or taking our kids to good public schools.

For more than three decades there has been one federal tax law that has enjoyed broad bipartisan support and wild popularity among American wage earners. This tax credit lifts millions out of poverty each year while simultaneously rewarding work. Yet despite its obvious benefits, some members of Congress believe the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) should be dramatically limited in order to give incredibly wealthy individuals and corporate entities tax cuts.

Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families has released a new report, "A Citizen's Guide to Arkansas Public School Financing," the first in a series of education reports that will be released in the coming months.

More than 64% of Arkansas's children have gained or maintained access to cost-effective preventive care services as a result of the Affordable Care Act, according to a new fact sheet released by Georgetown University's Center for Children. Nationwide, about half of all children have gained or maintained access to preventive care because of the Affordable Care Act, according to the Georgetown University research institute. Arkansas ranks fourth in nation for the number of children who receive this benefit through private plans or Medicaid/ARKids First.

This week child advocates celebrate the two year anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act. When the health reform law takes full effect in 2014, Americans can no longer be denied coverage based on so-called "pre-existing conditions," prior health problems that insurers use to disqualify many from care.