May  2022

Sometimes your freedom is not taken away at gunpoint but instead it is done one piece of paper at a time, one seemingly meaningless rule at a time, one small silencing at a time.

WE ARE RICH

Did you know that California is like the poor relative who just came into a lot of money?

California’s government has a $100 Billion surplus (rounded up from $97.5 Billion).  $50 Billion came from the federal government for covid costs.  The remainder came from our taxes. Our benevolent governor has plans for disbursing the money.  Is there an election soon?

Here are the highlights.

1.  $11.5 Billion for tax refunds to help address inflation.  Every   eligible registered vehicle owner           getting a $400 check, capped   at two checks per individual.

2.  $2.7 Billion for Emergency Rental Assistance for low-income   who requested rental  Assistance        before March 31st.

3.  $1.4 Billion for utility bills.  Includes $200 Million to help people  pay delinquent water bills. 

4.  $933 Million for Hospital and Nursing Home staff – providing up  to $1,500 per hospital  and             skilled nursing facility workers .

5.  $128 Billion for K-12 education for a record $16,991 per pupil.  This  is a 25% increase over  pre-       pandemic level even though student   enrollment has shrunk by 270,000.

6.  $18.1 Billion in cash relief to California families to help offset rising  gas prices and inflation.

7.   $1.6 Billion for drought relief and water resilience.

8.  $8 Billion for energy resiliency.

9.  $57 Million to provided reproductive services to women from other  states.

It is necessary to point out that some of these payments to citizens will provide relief for one or two months at the most.  Number 9 will be giving money to women from other states to pay the costs of their coming to California for an abortion.  That is so thoughtful of California taxpayers to pay the travel costs and medical expenses for women from other states.

All of this money is a reminder that state and local governments never needed the $1 Trillion or so in federal pandemic relief from Congress.  Most of the money has gone to transfer payments and payouts to public unions.