Detroit — Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron is encouraging state lawmakers to keep a program that helps Michigan’s working poor.

The Michigan State House of Representatives and Senate each passed their own road funding bills, seeking to improve the state’s crumbling infrastructure. However, the two vary in terms of what happens to the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit, a state subsidy for lower-income working families.

One June 10, the House voted for a $1.16 billion plan that includes cutting the EITC in an effort to save $155 million a year. Then, on July 1, the Senate passed a $1.5 billion plan that would keep the credit intact.

The two chambers now must merge the two plans before a bill can be presented to Gov. Rick Snyder, who has gone on record saying he prefers the Senate’s plan.

Michigan spends $155 million a year on the EITC, which provides an average of $140 in tax assistance to 780,500 residents. In 2013, a family of four with an income of $16,300 received approximately $322 in tax credits.

“The EITC has had a significant impact on the state’s working poor across Michigan,” Archbishop Vigneron said in a July 1 letter to Senate leaders. “Since its inception, the credit has proven to be one of the most effective transitional supports in overcoming poverty while promoting employment and self-sufficiency.”

Archbishop Vigneron said he understands the need for road repairs in Michigan, but urged the Legislature to seek other means to find the necessary funds.