HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — State and local leaders want to help teachers offset the costs of buying supplies for their classrooms with the school year about to begin.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D), along with Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam (D) and school superintendent Dr. Andraé Townsel are backing a new federal proposal that would give money back to teachers.

The RAISE Act — which stands for respect, advancement, and increasing support for educators — would help teachers by providing refundable tax credits up to $15,000. It would also increase the educator tax deduction to $500.

“Over the course of my career, I averaged at least $1,000 a year that I would put into my own classroom and it went well beyond supplies,” Hartford Federation of Teachers President Carole Gale said. “There

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