The California Budget & Policy Center (Budget Center), a nonpartisan, research and analysis nonprofit, released the following statement from its Executive Director Chris Hoene following the announcement Wednesday of Governor Newsom’s $11 billion relief package:
“There is no question Californians are in need of relief as people work hard to stretch their earnings to provide for their families, cover the cost of living, pay for groceries, gas, and child care, and at the end of the day, still struggle to make ends meet in their own communities.
“The Governor’s proposal fails to provide assistance to those who are most affected by rising prices and wastes state resources providing unneeded assistance to those with higher incomes, assets, and wealth. Policy proposals that use a one-size-fits-all approach while rewarding assets and wealth not only miss the mark but also reinforce the socio-economic barriers keeping Californians with low incomes out of sharing in the state’s prosperity while those with high incomes keep moving ahead.
“Statewide, one in three California households reported difficulty paying basic expenses as of February 2022. Relief and assistance should be targeted, meaningful, and efficient to get these Californians in low-income households the assistance needed now and use the state’s resources wisely.
“State leaders have proven paths and the resources for providing targeted assistance — the Golden State Stimulus, California Earned Income Tax Credit, and Young Child Tax Credit, to name a few. And Californians managing through the ongoing pandemic while now facing rising costs of basic expenses deserve efficient, meaningful relief, not gimmicks.”