Community
What the $1.9 Trillion American Rescue Plan Means for Californians
“With this infusion of federal stimulus, California can make faster progress on responding to COVID, supporting small businesses, putting money in people’s pockets, and bolstering K-12 and higher education. All of these pandemic responses add up to a brighter future for California,” said Newsom.
Lawmakers and policy analysts alike have shared their thoughts about the American Rescue Plan signed by Pres. Joe Biden on March 12, and how it will affect multiple areas of need for Californians.
In his statement, Gov. Gavin Newsom focused on the aid that the state will receive from the legislation. Together, California state and local governments are set to receive over $40 billion dollars.
“With this infusion of federal stimulus, California can make faster progress on responding to COVID, supporting small businesses, putting money in people’s pockets, and bolstering K-12 and higher education. All of these pandemic responses add up to a brighter future for California,” said Newsom.
The governor says he looks forward to working with partners in the Legislature to identify “key shared priorities” such as equity, housing affordability, education, and infrastructure, and to chart a path for the state to come “out of this pandemic as a stronger and more inclusive California.”
Direct aid to Californians includes one-time $1,400 stimulus payments for people earning less than $75,000 and $300 supplemental weekly unemployment benefits through September 6. The first $10,200 in unemployment benefits will also be nontaxable for households that earn under $150,000.
The American Rescue Plan also provides aid for families with children through an expansion of the child tax credit. The one-year expansion increases the credit to up to $3,600 per child, distributed in monthly installments. According to projections by the Urban Institute, the child credit tax expansion will cut child poverty in half.
“It is unacceptable that in the richest country in the world, millions of children continue to go to bed hungry and are deprived of basic resources they need to succeed. As co-chair of the Majority Leader’s Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity, I applaud this long overdue effort to dismantle the systemic inequality that keeps kids and families at the bottom of the economic ladder,” said U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-13).
The American Rescue Plan also includes nearly $130 billion in grants to state and local educational agencies, along with $39 billion in grants to higher education institutions and $15 billion to childcare facilities, to assist with safe school reopening.
The package also provides increased funding for programs that help low-income earners. About $25 billion will go to emergency rental assistance, with $5 billion set aside for emergency housing vouchers for unhoused people and survivors of domestic violence. Also, a provision in the package increases the value of cash vouchers for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Woman, Infants and Children (WIC).
For business owners, the Small Business Administration (SBA) will receive $25 billion for a new grant program for restaurants, bars and “other food and drinking establishments,” with $5 billion targeted for businesses with lower revenue. Also, an extra $1.25 billion is set for the SBA’s Shuttered Venue Operators Grant, which supports live music and performance venues.
In an online briefing held by Ethnic Media Services on March13, the panelists spoke about how the legislation could serve as a blueprint for future permanent legislation.
“I should emphasize that all of the almost all of these are short term provisions, they are not permanent. But they provide guidance about the kinds of policies we might want to be enacting going forward on a permanent basis,” said Chad Stone, chief economist at the nonprofit Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.
Alameda County
DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland
Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.
Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.
City Government
Vallejo Welcomes Interim City Manager Beverli Marshall
At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10. Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.
Special to The Post
At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10.
Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.
Current City Manager Michael Malone, whose official departure is slated for April 18, expressed his well wishes. “I wish the City of Vallejo and Interim City Manager Marshall all the best in moving forward on the progress we’ve made to improve service to residents.” Malone expressed his hope that the staff and Council will work closely with ICM Marshall to “ensure success and prosperity for the City.”
According to the Vallejo Sun, Malone stepped into the role of interim city manager in 2021 and became permanent in 2022. Previously, Malone served as the city’s water director and decided to retire from city service e at the end of his contract which is April 18.
“I hope the excellent work of City staff will continue for years to come in Vallejo,” he said. “However, recent developments have led me to this decision to announce my retirement.”
When Malone was appointed, Vallejo was awash in scandals involving the housing division and the police department. A third of the city’s jobs went unfilled during most of his tenure, making for a rocky road for getting things done, the Vallejo Sun reported.
At last night’s council meeting, McConnell explained the selection process, highlighting the council’s confidence in achieving positive outcomes through a collaborative effort, and said this afternoon, “The Council is confident that by working closely together, positive results will be obtained.”
While the search for a permanent city manager is ongoing, an announcement is expected in the coming months.
On behalf of the City Council, Mayor McConnell extended gratitude to the staff, citizen groups, and recruitment firm.
“The Council wishes to thank the staff, the citizens’ group, and the recruitment firm for their diligent work and careful consideration for the selection of what is possibly the most important decision a Council can make on behalf of the betterment of our City,” McConnell said.
The Vallejo Sun contributed to this report.
-
Community2 weeks ago
Financial Assistance Bill for Descendants of Enslaved Persons to Help Them Purchase, Own, or Maintain a Home
-
Activism3 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of April 3 – 6, 2024
-
Business2 weeks ago
V.P. Kamala Harris: Americans With Criminal Records Will Soon Be Eligible for SBA Loans
-
Community2 weeks ago
AG Bonta Says Oakland School Leaders Should Comply with State Laws to Avoid ‘Disparate Harm’ When Closing or Merging Schools
-
Activism2 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of April 10 – 16, 2024
-
Community1 week ago
Oakland WNBA Player to be Inducted Into Hall of Fame
-
Community2 weeks ago
The Year Ahead: Assembly Speaker Rivas Discusses Priorities, Problems
-
City Government2 weeks ago
LAO Releases Report on Racial and Ethnic Disparities in California Child Welfare System