New State Budget Includes Tax Rebates to Fight Inflation

By Assemblymember Phil Ting–

I know many of you are hurting because the dollar doesn’t go as far as it used to these days. From gasoline to groceries, global inflation is taking a toll on the cost of living.

As Assembly Budget Chair, I’m proud to announce some relief is on the way to most Californians—thanks to the state budget just enacted, which includes about $9.5 billion in tax rebates. The Franchise Tax Board is expected to begin sending out payments in October based on your 2020 tax returns. Estimate your rebate at this website: https://tinyurl.com/yhfu23rp

For incomes of less than $75,000, individuals would receive $350, while couples making less than $150,000 would get $700. Having at least one dependent would add another $350, bringing the maximum rebate to $1,050. The rebates get smaller, as earnings reach higher tax brackets.

For those on Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP), many will see their previously-approved grant increases take effect next year, instead of 2024. For individuals, their grants will be about $39 more per month, while couples will see an additional $100 per month.

California’s historic budget also makes significant investments that prepare our state well for the future:

• Healthcare: Ensures access to abortion and reproductive services; addresses health epidemics with funding for syphilis & congenital syphilis crisis, as well as hepatitis B elimination; opens up Medi-Cal to all-income eligible Californians regardless of immigration status by January 1, 2024;
• Housing/Homelessness: Builds more affordable housing units; assists unhoused veterans and their families; bolsters legal aid programs to prevent eviction; opens clinically-supported bridge housing for people experiencing homelessness and serious mental illness;
• Social Safety Net: Increases CalWorks grants by 21% & allows single parents on the program to also keep their child support payments; and extends CalFresh food assistance to undocumented immigrants aged 55 and older;
• Small Business Relief: Reimburses small businesses for increased cost of unemployment insurance; short-term suspension of a portion of diesel gas sales tax; and offsets costs of the Supplemental Paid Sick Leave program;
• Transportation: Makes progress on high-speed rail; improves transit and intercity rail; expands safe walking and biking options; create Highways to Boulevards pilot program to connect communities divided by freeways—all of which creates good-paying jobs;
• Climate Change: Continues push to get more zero-emission vehicles on our roads; shores up wildfire resilience and drought response; and prepares for sea level rise;
• TK-12 Education: Provides a record 13% increase in funding for all public schools; boosts the free universal school meals program, continues helping students recover from learning loss brought on by the pandemic and jumpstarts projects to modernize or construct new school facilities, including early childhood education centers;
• Higher Education: Increases funding across all UC, CSU, and community college campuses; ramps up student housing construction; and advances goal of “debt-free college” by expanding CalGrant aid & Middle Class Scholarships.

I am also happy to report that the state budget includes $5.5 million for the LGBTQ Museum in San Francisco. It’s important to preserve history and amplify voices in our continued fight for equality.

In addition, I’ve joined my legislative colleagues in advocating for additional federal and state funding as soon as possible to ramp up our response to the monkeypox outbreak with more vaccines, testing, treatment, and education.

I’m proud of this budget, which also has more than $37 billion in reserves to help us through a possible economic downtown. I can’t wait to see the impact of our investments.

Phil Ting represents the 19th Assembly District, which includes the Westside of San Francisco and portions of South San Francisco along with the communities of Broadmoor, Colma, and Daly City.

Published on July 28, 2022