From adoption to opportunity: Why tax relief matters to working families like mine

In December 2017, I stood just a few feet away as President Donald Trump spoke about delivering long overdue tax relief for working Americans. I remember thinking about the people back home in Lancaster County, men and women who punch the clock, run small businesses, and do everything they can to provide for their families. I was not there as a political insider. I was there as a husband, a father, and a blue-collar worker who knew firsthand what it meant to stretch a paycheck.

That moment stayed with me because my story is an American story.

I was born in Peru and adopted as a child by a family here in Lancaster County. They gave me a home, a foundation, and a future I might not have had. They taught me the value of hard work, faith, and family. Everything I have built began with the opportunity they gave me.

Now, years later, my wife and I are raising a growing family of our own. We have four children, and this year we’re preparing to welcome our fifth. Like so many parents in our community, everything we do is about building a great life for our kids.

I work in a CNC laser machine shop, typically 50 to 60 hours a week. It is honest, demanding work that keeps our local economy moving. Every dollar in my paycheck counts, and every dollar I keep creates opportunity.

That is why the Working Families Tax Cuts mean so much to families like mine.

For people who rely on overtime to make ends meet, not paying taxes on those extra hours is a real benefit. Overtime is not about getting ahead in some abstract way. It is about covering groceries, school clothes, and unexpected bills. It is about making sure your kids have what they need.

When you work long days and weekends to provide for your family, keeping more of what you earn matters. Removing taxes on overtime recognizes the dignity of hard work.

The expanded Child Tax Credit is another important piece of the puzzle. Raising children is one of life’s greatest blessings, but anyone who has done it knows it comes with real costs. As our family grows to five, every bit of relief helps us plan for our future.

There is another part of these tax cuts that hits especially close to home for me: strengthening the adoption tax credit.

I know personally how life-changing that decision can be. Adoption transforms not just a child’s life, but families and communities.

Supporting adoptive families through a stronger tax credit helps make that path more accessible for parents who feel called to open their homes. It reflects compassion and supports families.

My perspective on these policies is not just personal. As mayor of New Holland Borough, I also see how tax policy affects the small businesses that form the backbone of our town.

Our community is filled with family-owned manufacturers, shops, contractors, and service providers who work as hard as their employees. Providing certainty by making the small business tax deduction permanent gives these employers the confidence to invest, hire, and grow. When small businesses succeed, our whole community benefits.

Our representative in Congress, Lloyd Smucker, understands this firsthand. He built a small business to employ over 150 people. His work to make small business tax relief permanent is the kind of leadership that helps Main Streets like ours stay strong.

Other pieces of the Working Families Tax Cuts would also make a real difference across our community. Eliminating taxes on tips would support workers in restaurants and service industries. Ending taxes on Social Security would provide meaningful relief for seniors who spent a lifetime working and contributing. These are practical, people-first policies that recognize the value of work at every stage of life.

When I stood behind President Trump in 2017, I believed the tax reforms being discussed would help working families.

Years later, as a father, a blue-collar worker, and a mayor, I have seen the positive benefit of those policies firsthand.

And now the Working Families Tax Cuts will make life more affordable and create opportunities for years to come.

These policies are not about politics for me. They are about family, work, and ensuring the next generation of Americans has the same opportunities I received.

Thank you to President Trump and Congressman Smucker for supporting working families and communities like mine.

Bryant Glick is the mayor of New Holland Borough where he resides with his wife and four children.