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key takeaway

Nearly six in 10 Californians say that recent price increases have caused hardship. Strengthening the state’s refundable income tax credits is a proven way policymakers can improve Californians’ economic security.

Every Californian deserves to be able to put food on the table, pay the rent, and support their families. But millions of people across California struggle to make ends meet every day. Although inflation has slowed in recent months, the cost of basic needs like food and housing remain high and continue to strain family budgets.

Nearly six in 10 Californians say that price increases have caused hardship. Additionally, nearly half — including 63% of low-income Californians — say that their housing costs are placing a financial strain on them and their families. On top of this, the number of Californians living in poverty has likely risen because policymakers let pandemic supports expire. This includes emergency food assistance and expansions of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit.

A key and proven way policymakers can improve Californians’ economic security is by strengthening the state’s refundable income tax credits. These tax credits provide tax refunds to people with low incomes. California’s largest of such credits — the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) — helps millions of Californians with low incomes meet basic needs each year.

Last year, the CalEITC put over $700 million back in the pockets of workers with low incomes and their families. So far this year, it’s provided well over $800 million. These dollars help families and individuals. Additionally, it supports local businesses, jobs, and economies by boosting the spending power of tax credit recipients. Research on the expanded federal Child Tax Credit as well as the federal EITC shows that the vast majority of families with low incomes spend their credits on basic household needs, with food being the most common expense.

Increasing the amount of cash provided through the CalEITC is a simple, effective way for state policymakers to help more Californians in working families make ends meet while also supporting local businesses and jobs. This investment is especially imperative now that federal pandemic supports have expired. This expiration makes it more difficult for many Californians to make ends meet. Tens of thousands of households in every legislative district across the state currently benefit from the CalEITC. Further investments in the credit could inject significant resources into their communities.

Assembly District Order

Assembly DistrictAssemblymemberPartyNumber of Households Benefitting from the CalEITC Tax Year 2021Amount of CalEITC Credits Going to Households Tax Year 2021
1Megan DahleRepublican38,800$7,307,300
2Jim WoodDemocrat40,900$7,511,700
3James GallagherRepublican44,900$9,364,300
4Cecilia M. Aguiar-CurryDemocrat34,700$6,171,900
5Joe PattersonRepublican27,500$4,552,000
6Kevin McCartyDemocrat45,200$9,098,200
7Josh HooverRepublican39,300$7,274,100
8Jim PattersonRepublican40,900$7,736,200
9Heath FloraRepublican39,700$7,596,200
10Stephanie NguyenDemocrat49,000$10,131,400
11Lori D. WilsonDemocrat38,300$7,196,200
12Damon ConnollyDemocrat27,100$4,651,000
13Carlos VillapuduaDemocrat48,400$11,172,200
14Buffy WicksDemocrat30,400$5,364,700
15Timothy S. GraysonDemocrat38,000$7,510,100
16Rebecca Bauer-KahanDemocrat16,900$2,438,600
17Matt HaneyDemocrat31,200$5,287,000
18Mia BontaDemocrat37,500$7,570,200
19Philip Y. TingDemocrat27,400$3,949,300
20Liz OrtegaDemocrat35,700$6,276,200
21Diane PapanDemocrat20,700$3,417,000
22Juan AlanisRepublican47,900$10,521,200
23Marc BermanDemocrat15,300$2,272,100
24Alex LeeDemocrat24,900$3,892,500
25Ash KalraDemocrat39,700$7,222,400
26Evan LowDemocrat19,700$3,151,700
27Esmeralda Z. SoriaDemocrat61,500$14,809,700
28Gail PellerinDemocrat22,000$3,498,000
29Robert RivasDemocrat51,100$11,484,600
30Dawn AddisDemocrat31,600$5,232,100
31Dr. Joaquin ArambulaDemocrat65,800$17,041,200
32Vince FongRepublican47,100$10,464,000
33Devon J. MathisRepublican60,800$15,246,800
34Tom LackeyRepublican49,300$11,402,400
35Jasmeet Kaur BainsDemocrat67,500$17,022,400
36Eduardo GarciaDemocrat60,100$14,462,800
37Gregg HartDemocrat40,700$8,009,800
38Steve BennettDemocrat46,200$9,110,500
39Juan CarrilloDemocrat60,500$15,277,800
40Pilar SchiavoDemocrat40,600$6,916,900
41Chris R. HoldenDemocrat35,500$6,024,500
42Jacqui IrwinDemocrat28,700$4,279,200
43Luz M. RivasDemocrat64,000$13,048,000
44Laura FriedmanDemocrat42,500$6,309,100
45James C. RamosDemocrat61,900$14,078,900
46Jesse GabrielDemocrat50,500$9,333,600
47Greg WallisRepublican48,200$9,378,200
48Blanca E. RubioDemocrat53,200$9,508,500
49Mike FongDemocrat53,200$8,654,500
50Eloise Gómez ReyesDemocrat54,200$10,656,200
51Rick Chavez ZburDemocrat36,900$5,207,900
52Wendy CarrilloDemocrat59,200$11,011,300
53Freddie RodriguezDemocrat55,300$10,734,700
54Miguel SantiagoDemocrat63,600$13,057,200
55Isaac G. BryanDemocrat44,900$8,402,600
56Lisa CalderonDemocrat52,600$9,400,700
57Reginald B. Jones-Sawyer, Sr.Democrat70,400$17,673,400
58Sabrina CervantesDemocrat52,000$10,111,000
59Phillip ChenRepublican33,300$5,400,700
60Dr. Corey A. JacksonDemocrat55,600$12,396,800
61Tina S. McKinnorDemocrat53,000$10,988,700
62Anthony RendonDemocrat57,800$12,008,900
63Bill EssayliRepublican42,100$7,895,700
64Blanca PachecoDemocrat56,500$10,634,100
65Mike A. GipsonDemocrat63,300$14,612,200
66Al MuratsuchiDemocrat29,300$4,855,700
67Sharon Quirk-SilvaDemocrat48,200$8,547,200
68Avelino ValenciaDemocrat57,300$10,921,900
69Josh Lowenthal Democrat48,500$9,086,200
70Tri TaRepublican55,200$9,556,700
71Kate A. SanchezRepublican31,900$5,182,500
72Diane B. DixonRepublican29,700$4,467,900
73Cottie Petrie-NorrisDemocrat32,700$5,280,000
74Laurie DaviesRepublican37,200$6,207,900
75Marie WaldronRepublican35,400$6,434,400
76Brian MaienscheinDemocrat32,500$5,614,400
77Tasha BoernerDemocrat25,500$3,542,300
78Christopher M. WardDemocrat38,200$5,977,400
79Dr. Akilah Weber, M.D.Democrat57,100$11,188,500
80David A. AlvarezDemocrat65,000$12,615,700

Notes: Number of households is rounded to the nearest hundred. It reflects those receiving the CalEITC in tax year 2021 as of 12/31/22. Just over 49,000 households that received the CalEITC (1.4%) filed taxes from zip codes outside of California. These households are not included in this analysis. Another 48,000 households that received the CalEITC & filed taxes from within California (1.3%) are not included in this analysis. They could not be matched to an Assembly or Senate district or because FTB did not report the zip code from which they filed in order to meet confidentiality standards. 

Source: Budget Center analysis of Franchise Tax Board data

Senate District Order

Senate DistrictSenatorPartyNumber of Households Benefiting from the CalEITC
Tax Year 2021
Amount of CalEITC Credits Going to Households
Tax Year 2021
1Brian Dahle Republican94,100$17,456,600
2Mike McGuireDemocrat70,100$12,915,800
3Bill DoddDemocrat72,700$12,736,000
4Marie Alvarado-GilDemocrat88,500$17,803,500
5Susan Talamantes EggmanDemocrat99,100$21,230,400
6Roger W. NielloRepublican84,200$15,812,600
7Steven M. GlazerDemocrat56,500$10,301,400
8Angelique V. AshbyDemocrat87,700$17,980,800
9Nancy SkinnerDemocrat84,300$15,805,000
10Aisha WahabDemocrat57,300$9,389,700
11Scott D. WienerDemocrat57,500$9,073,100
12Shannon GroveRepublican97,400$21,370,000
13Josh BeckerDemocrat37,900$6,036,700
14Anna M. CaballeroDemocrat158,700$39,116,600
15Dave CorteseDemocrat56,800$9,870,400
16Melissa HurtadoDemocrat122,900$30,957,300
17John LairdDemocrat69,300$12,383,700
18Steve PadillaDemocrat144,600$30,670,200
19Monique LimónDemocrat86,700$16,999,400
20Caroline MenjivarDemocrat139,000$26,503,300
21Scott WilkRepublican109,500$25,102,600
22Susan RubioDemocrat141,700$25,980,200
23Rosilicie Ochoa BoghRepublican133,900$28,638,200
24Benjamin Allen Democrat65,100$9,310,900
25Anthony J. PortantinoDemocrat85,000$13,519,600
26María Elena DurazoDemocrat125,900$24,237,900
27Henry I. Stern Democrat74,600$12,569,600
28Lola Smallwood-CuevasDemocrat106,400$22,981,400
29Josh NewmanDemocrat88,900$15,325,300
30Bob ArchuletaDemocrat107,900$19,269,800
31Richard D. RothDemocrat141,900$28,535,500
32Kelly SeyartoRepublican96,400$17,757,800
33Lena A. GonzalezDemocrat124,500$27,371,400
34Thomas J. UmbergDemocrat115,500$21,410,800
35Steven BradfordDemocrat122,900$26,426,700
36Janet NguyenRepublican83,500$13,528,800
37Dave MinDemocrat68,800$11,102,800
38Catherine BlakespearDemocrat66,600$10,406,900
39Toni G. Atkins Democrat93,900$15,232,500
40Brian W. JonesRepublican78,500$13,860,400

Notes: Number of households is rounded to the nearest hundred. This reflects those receiving the CalEITC in tax year 2021 as of 12/31/22. Just over 49,000 households that received the CalEITC (1.4%) filed taxes from zip codes outside of California. These households are not included in this analysis. Another 48,000 households that received the CalEITC and filed taxes from within California (1.3%) are not included in this analysis. They could not be matched to an Assembly or Senate district or because FTB did not report the zip code from which they filed in order to meet confidentiality standards.

Source: Budget Center analysis of Franchise Tax Board data

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