Will there be a second Golden State stimulus check in California?
Gov. Gavin Newsom has unveiled the California Comeback Plan, the $100 billion covid-19 relief bill which expands the direct payments and much more.
In April California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the state had recorded a massive $75.7 billion budget surplus for the past year after enjoying a significant increase in tax revenue.
The news came shortly after Newsom had signed the Golden State Stimulus bill into law, a state-wide relief package which include a round of $600 direct payments for low-income residents. However after announcing the budget surplus Newsom’s office unveiled the California Comeback Plan, which offered a considerable expansion on the support.
The package expanded eligibility to the $600 stimulus checks to two-thirds of all California residents, with billions of extra support for the pandemic-hit state.
Who is eligible for the California Comeback Plan stimulus checks?
The Golden State Stimulus checks went largely to residents who are enrolled in the state’s CalEITC or similar support programmes. However the new payments will more closely follow the eligibility requirements of the most recent round of federal stimulus checks.
Families earning up to $75,000 per year will be eligible for the payments, which provide $600 per adult and another $500 for qualified families with dependents. The total cost of the direct payments, along with the initial Golden State Stimulus checks, will be $11.9 billion.
Upon announcing the news, Newsom told the gathered reporters: “No state, including this state, has ever rebated more direct dollars back into the pockets of taxpayers.”
He added: “When the federal government was not able to provide those supports, the state of California will step in to do what we can.”
What else is included in the California Comeback Plan?
Newsom’s office have issued a press release outlining some other features included in the California Comeback Plan as the state looks to give its pandemic recovery a boost. In total the package comes in at $100 billion, the largest economic recovery package in California’s history, which seeks to address some persistent issues.
Billions of dollars will be provided to offer relief for Californians who are behind with their rent payments, providing 100% of any back-rent due. The funding can also be used to cover rent in the months to come for those continuing to suffer financially, as well as overdue utility bills.
“California’s recovery is well underway, but we can’t be satisfied with simply going back to the way things were,” said Gov. Newsom. “We are tripling the Golden State Stimulus to get money in the hands of more middle-class Californians who have been hit hard by this pandemic.